Living the Dream
by Sally Jonson
Summary: After accomplishing a dream, Lightning McQueen learns an old rival is back to ruin him. Meanwhile, things are changing in Radiator Springs, in good ways and in bad ways. Will he succeed in living his new dreams? CH. 10 is up!
1. The Beginning of Things

He stared at the papers in front of him, hoping that somehow they would disappear. He hated trips like this. First, being torn away from the town and people he loved, then being dragged miles away to put up with jerks, conferences, and papers was the last thing he wanted to do on this earth. However, it was unavoidable. He glanced at the clock and made a mental note that he was expected at another meeting in a couple of hours. He stared again at the stack that needed to be filled out.

"Well, it's doin' it now or staying up late in the night to deal with it," he said aloud to himself.

Then, an excuse popped up in his hood. He hadn't checked his emails for several days now. After all, there may be a bill sent to him that was due or something. He immediately left his stack of dread and drove over to his portable computer.

"Thank the Manufacturer for sponsers who think it's a necessity that I have the latest and biggest technology." He said aloud again to himself as he turned his computer online. "Except for headlights," he added, but secretly glad because he didn't need them at all.

"YOU'VE GOT MAIL!!!" the computer screamed at him, making him jump. He had forgotten to turn his speakers down after last night's movie he watched. Shaking his hood to get the ringing out, he opened his first email.

~"Heeellloooo Budy! Sory if I can't spell stuff write. Mi English aint two gould. We all miss ya here in r. springs. Well I bedder go. Just remember, don't cum home wit any girls for me like I told ya to before ya left. I aint worth it. See ya round!

Luv yur best budy, MATER!!!!"

The car chuckled. "Mater can't write worth a darn." The next email was opened.

~"Hey, kid. Hope you're doing good. Mater told me he'd email ya, but don't expect much. His letters are always short. Have you kept up with your practice? Just because last season's over doesn't mean you can slack off. Remember everything I've told ya, but don't go too too hard. Better to have a little less than too much. We miss ya… especially Sally. Son, she's got feeling for ya, and I advise you to take her into consideration. She'd fulfill any car's dreams…."

"I know," he whispered, agreeing with the letter.

~"She hasn't been the same since ya left, (as usual). She's not as perky. Well, I'd better not take up any more practice time. Behave yourself, Hotshot. –Doc Hudson"

The next few emails were junk, telling and offering contracts and services. "Nope, nobody else is getting my service than what I got already."

Finally, the last email came. He recognized who sent it and opened it eagerly.

~"Dear Stickers, I haven't heard from you in awhile. You hardly call me, which is perfectly fine. I understand you're busy. The Motels have been also busy with excitement. Most are tourists trying to find you, but they soon learn they have to be content with the racing wing. One tourist got mad when I explained you were gone, and demanded to know where 'a chick like' myself 'could be HIDING Lightning McQueen.' I almost got into deep trouble for trying to shoo him away politely…"

"He would have been in deeper trouble had I been there," he mumbled.

~"Mater saved me and told me to call him my night in shining metal'…"

"Hey! Watch it Bud! Just because you're Mater doesn't mean I'll cut ya some slack!" he roared.

~"I told him I couldn't. He's not my night in shining metal…"

"That's my girl, Sally."

~"Doc is."

He just stared at the computer screen and slumped at the conclusion he jumped to.

~"Doc saved my whole life when I first broke down here. He's definitely who I consider as my knight, at least for now."

His hope rose again at that remark.

~"Anyway, how have ya been? I bet you miss us. We think if you ALL the time. You've really added a lot to us, Stickers. When you're gone, it's like someone took the source of energy out of this town…. Like a lamp suddenly unplugged. We get by, though it's hard. I guess I'm saying that we're REALLY looking forward to your return home."

"Don't think I don't know ya, Sally. You really have I's behind all those we's."

~ "Come home soon. Until then, everyone is waiting. We send you our love. Thank you for letting me take up a few minutes of your life just now in reading this.

Your forever friend, Sally Carrera"

"If I ever get the nerve to decide for myself, you may take up more than just a few minutes of my time, girl," he concluded, shutting his computer down. "Try taking up the rest of my life."

There was a huge bang at the door. "hey McQueen! Boss!"

"Comin'!" he yelled. He rove out of his hotel room and into the hallway to meet his trusty semi friend, Mack.

"Hey, Boss, I just got a phone call, and the dudes want you at the meeting now instead of later," reported Mack.

"Thanks, Mack. Unless you have any other phone calls while I'm gone, you can take the rest of the day off," he offered, driving down the hall. Mack quickly drove into his room to get some much needed sleep.

……………………………………………………………………………………………....

Half an hour later, Lightning McQueen found himself parked in a room around some other cars who stood for different positions in his sponsers' companies.

"Alright, men…and woman…. We come to an agreement. We won't get McQueen here headlights," the head of the companies, named Phil, stated. "It's agreed, Bill, Ned, Zachery, Rusty, Dusty, and Stacie."

"But he drives a lot off road! More than the law allows him to. With headlights it'll look like he's just some obsessed fan who loves to look like he's Lightning McQueen," argued Bill, who stood as a secretary.

"If I may have a say in this, I'm carried everywhere I go except Radiator Springs. The Sheriff there gave me a permit to drive wherever I want there. So headlights aren't really necessary. I appreciate the thought, but it won't be worth the time, money and-not to mention- pain you as well as I will have to go through," Lightning reasoned.

"Well, it doesn't matter who thinks what. The board has decided by popular vote and what's done is done. Now, onto the next subject: Lightning's gas is high priced," Phil began.

"I think we should consider replacing his gas tank with one that uses less gas," Ned suggested, which Lightning winced at the pain he'd have to endure with that.

"Nah! How about we just get gas without so much special qualities," Zachery said.

"But I can't run on anything less than what I have!" Lightning threw out.

"He's got a point. Cheaper gas would greatly jeopardize his endurance level. He will have to make more pit stops, an that'll cost time, no matter how fast McQueen's personal fork lifter is," Stacy agreed.

"His name's Guido," Lightning politely pointed out. Stacy nodded.

"Well, if McQueen's as old fashioned as his town is, he won't need gas!" Rusty said, beginning to laugh.

"Yeah, we'll just give him water like on ol' Two Cilinder!" Dusty exclaimed, bursting into laughter with Rusty.

"I can't believe you let them two introduce me in my sponsers tent," Lightning whispered to Phil who was parked beside him. "I don't and CAN'T even use water."

The group stared blankly as the two laughed hysterically at their "joke".

"Anyway," Lightning began again once they stopped laughing," I make enough money to pay for my fuel. So much, in fact, I've been thinkin' about donating to some charities."

A wave a groans came from around the room, and Lightning frowned at their reaction.

"But the econemy's getting worse! Soon the only thing we'll be racing for is a measly old cup like back in the '50's!" Bill cried out.

"Hey! My crew chief's from the '50's!" Lightning roared defensively.

This was the time when the argument on a subject became heated up. Everyone argued and defended until they all ended up fighting. Punching, biting, screaming in each other's ear,… the physical abuse was harsh. Just when things started to get really messy, who should come in but Mack.

"Um, hello?" he said hesitantly, pushing the door open slightly. Papers and tires were flying. "HHEELLOOOOOO!!!!!!!" he shouted. Everyone stopped and all eyes were on the semi. He smiled like a goof and said awkwardly, "Ummmm…."

"What brought ya in here, Mack?" Lightning asked cheerfully, giving Bill one last punch and then driving over to the embarrassed semi.

"Ummmm…" Mack said again, this time feeling REALLY awkward.

"Spit it out, Mack! You aren't supposed to be in here anyways in the first place," Phil barked. He had a black windshield and a fat grill.

I've got a message for McQueen," Mack finally said.

"'Kay, Mack. What is it?" Lightning asked. Mack took him aside and whispered something to him.

Lightning suddenly looked surprised and quickly darted over to his section of the room and began scooting a box towards the door.

"I gotta go," was all he said in the process.

"Hey, McQueen, we aren't done yet. We still got a lot of work to do," Phil called after him.

"I've gotta go home," was the reply. Mack left the room, and Lightning continued to follow pushing the box.

"But why? What about the rest of the month?" Stacy squeaked.

"Sally," he whispered, and left without saying anything else with the door swinging behind him.

It was quiet as the group looked on after him. "Who's Sally?" they all asked unanimously and looked at each other questioningly.


	2. The Gift of Friendship

"Hurry up Mack!" Lightning whined from his trailer.

"I'm goin' EXACTLY the speed limit, Buddy," Mack informed Lightning through his speakerphone.

They gad driven all night from California and were already on the beginning stretch of the original Route 66 road leading to Radiator Springs. Lightning sat inside his trailer drumming his tire against the side if the trailer impatiently.

"Buddy, that won't make us go any faster. It just throws me off balance," Mack told him. Reluctantly, Lightning stopped.

He stared with a weird face at his bobble head miniature models of himself. They really resembled him now. He was so nervous and anxious that he felt he would start bobbing along right with them. Instead, he asked," How can you be so calm? Sally just had an engine attack yesterday. She could have died!"

"Well, she's fine now, ain't she?"

"Well, Doc told me she was. He wouldn't let me talk to her though for some weird reason. But she still can get weak and collapse!"

"Kid, I bet she's gonna be okay. She's still young and strong," Mack encouraged his friend.

"Yeah… but there's still that chance."

Mack gave up and kept on driving. The town's view came up from the horizon, finally. Lightning was itching to get out.

"Okay, Mack, I'm street legal here and I can go faster than you, no offense. So, let me out here," he ordered, the energy building up inside him.

There were no tourists, surprisingly, so Mack just stopped right there and then and let the ball of electricity on wheels out of his containment. Lightning sped off the moment his tires touched the ground, and he called out the citizen's names out frantically.

"Hey! McQueen's back!" Sheriff announced, coming out of nowhere. "Slow down, Boy. Good grief! I didn't expect ya home this soon."

"Well, as he says…. He is speed," Mater said, also coming out of nowhere, but Lightning was too worried to be confused and ask why.

"MaterMaterMaterMater….. where is she?" Lightning panted.

"Where's who?"

"Sally of course!!!" he yelled in despair. He was not in the mood for playing games. "Is she at Doc's or… where?!"

"Are you talking about Sally?" Doc asked, obviously coming from his clinic down the road.

"Yep, he's talkin' 'bout Miss Sally," Mater confirmed.

"Where is she Doc?"

"I heard the commotion from down the street. If I didn't know better, I'd think you have special feeling for the girl," Doc teased, his eyes sparkling with playfulness.

Lightning blushed, but now was not the time to defend himself. "What is wrong with you guys? Can't ya answer a simple question? WHERE IS SALLY?!?!?!?"

"She's at the Wheel Well," Doc simply stated. His face was, as usual, emotionless.

Lightning took off without so much as a thank you. The three cars laughed at the race car. He heard it and thought , "How could they be laughing when such a tragedy happened?"

He reached the Wheel Well in record time and immediately spotted the light blue 911 Carrera Porsche by the cliff, gazing up at the newly refurbished motel. She apparently heard an engine, for she slowly reversed to see him parked there. Their eyes locked for a moment, then he quickly drove up to her.

"Hi Sally. How are you? Do you hurt? Where does it hurt? Can I see? I hope you're better. I came as soon as I could," he said all at once, slurring everything onto one sentence.

Sally lightly chuckled. "You'd be a great examination doctor if you keep that up!"

Lightning didn't see anything funny in this. Didn't she just have a life altering attack? Why was she not in the ICU part of Doc's clinic? "Sally, what's wrong with you? I've always considered you to be level headed… but you were fatally struck yesterday, and now you're up here laughing!"

"I didn't have an engine attack," she quietly stated.

Lightning stared at her without blinking his eyes. "WWHHAAAAAAAATTTTTT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

"I didn't have one. It was set up to try to get you away from your 2 month conference."

He just wanted to scream, drive off the cliff, and sing the Four Peters before he went splat. What did they take him for? A victim of some cheap jokes? "You dragged me out here for me to learn that the reason I left wasn't true?" he asked between bared teeth, trying to contain his boiling anger.

"We didn't drag you out here, you made that decision on your own. You didn't HAVE to come back." Her eyes twinkled like she had something she was hiding. "You didn't HAVE to be at those conferences anyway, did you?"

"Well…. No… but it's good for my image when I'm there. Plus I can learn what's going on behind my back while I race, and I can stand up for the decisions on what and what not to change about my racing." He sighed. "Ya know, I'm kinda glad you got me to come back."

"Oh! This is for you," Sally said giving him a folded up paper, then drove off down the alley with speed even Lightning himself found it hard to match. Lightning watched her for a minute in confusion. Something was up. He looked at the front of the paper. It said, "We brought ya here because it's a special day today. Remember what it is?" Being totally clueless, he opened the paper, and inside it finished, "This will give you a clue… Happy Birthday, Stickers!" His eyes grew wide in remembrance, then he read the bottem. It said," Enjoy eating my dust."

Lightning immediately glanced over to where Sally had left. As if on cue when he read the letter, a cloud of dust was still floating through the air where she had taken off.

"Not on your life," he purred, revving his engine and shooting off like a rocket. He caught up with the cruising Porsche in no time.

"Wow," Sally breathed when he passed her. She knew he was fast, but his speed still charmed her. She stopped when she saw him halt several yards ahead and make a u-turn back to meet her. He slowly and quietly drove up to her with eyes full of expression.

"Thank you," he said tenderly with a sincere smile. She nudged him playfully, and they headed back to town at a medium pace. "I still can't believe I forgot it was my birthday! I guess that proves I'm not so self absorbed any more. I've got loads of humility now!"

Sally laughed at him. "Yep, you sure do."

"And you guys set everything up for me. That was so thoughtful… no matter how scared I felt about the main set up."

"You were really scared about me 'having an engine attack'?" Sally asked.

Lightning blushed. "Well, yes. I mean, you're my friend and all…" he trailed off nervously. "Tell you the truth, I don't wanna spend my b-day anywhere else but here."

The way back to town was in a comfortable silence. Lightning couldn't stand to think of spending his birthday at a conference. He knew Mack would explain to Harv, who would explain to the members of the board why he left. They would understand. They also had skipped meetings for family. He was just glad to be free from it a while.

"Look! The love birds are back!" Mater announced, seeing the two drive up side by side.

"Oh, can it, Mater!" Lightning snapped, noticing the dreamy expressions on everyone's face when they came to welcome him home.

"Glad to have ya back, Honey," Flo said, tossing him his favorite can of oil. "On the house."

"Now that's what I like: a lot of love and peace, Man," Filmore slurred. Sarge grunted and frowned at him.

"Didn't get any tickets in L.A. did ya?" Sheriff tried.

"Not a single one," Lightning replied before taking a big sip of oil.

"Surprising," Sheriff mumbled under his breath.

An ear-piercing shower of screams came quite suddenly from behind Lightning. He recognized them immediately and groaned inaudibly for he knew what came next. He mockingly mouthed the words at the same time they were spoken.

"Oh my gosh! Lightning's back!!!!"

He put a fake smile on his face and turned to meet the twins, Mia and Tia. "Hey, girls."

"Hi Lightning! You want me to get you something?" they asked in unison.

Before he could answer, Mia said, out of unison, "Um, I was going to serve him."

"I'm sorry, Mia, but he doesn't need two waitresses. Besides, I wanted to serve him before you did."

"Excuse me! I wanted to serve him since yesterday!" Mia shot back.

"I was thinking of serving him two days ago!"

The frowns turned on and the townsfolk looked at each other, preparing for the explosion.

"OH YEAH?!" Mia screamed.

"YEAH!!!" Tia screamed even louder.

They kept on going back and forth saying the same thing over and over again. Everyone winced. Flo heard them and quickly drove out of her café nook to investigate.

"Awright! You two stop it or I'll give you both GOOD reason to scream like that and you'll be screamin' your way out if town!" she barked.

"Trust me, girls. She ain't kiddin;. I know her ways, unfortunately!" Ramone warned.

Tia and Mia glared at one another then began to serve the cars again, each on the opposite sides of the lot. Finally, a gentle breeze blew and the town was quiet again, except for Lizzy's old radio playing "Mamma Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys". Lightning took in the scenery from beside Sally.

"Nice sunset, huh?" Sally asked him.

"Yeah… it's unusually red this evening," Lightning observed,

"The sun's showing the whole world your true color indicating it's your special day."

Lightning now noticed many of the citizens were missing. There was movement going on down by Mater's garage. Sally saw the questioning look on his face and assured him some were helping Mater with something. It was too far w]away for him to see but he decided not to pay attention to it, (after ,MUCH persuasion from Sally of course). When it was totally dark, he heard shouts and grumblings coming from where everyone else was at. He couldn't contain himself any longer.

"Okay! That's it. I'm gonna go see what's up," he said, leaving Sally's side and driving onto the road.

When he was halfway down the road, a bright light suddenly flashed before his eyes. He screamed with fright. He couldn't hear and there was a LOUD booming sound echoing into the new night. He shut his eyes tightly and prepared for an explosion.

……………………………………………………………………………………………....

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for the reviews and the suggestions for a title were greatly appreciated!! Thank you for being so nice in your reviews. I'm not that good of a writer, though, am I? Sorry if I caused any disappointment about Lightning's sudden up and leave. I wanted to establish the Radiator Spring's sense of playfulness I think them to have. Well, tell me what ya'll think. =)


	3. Deciding to Do It

An extra loud booming sound like a tornado in the distance made him crack open his eyes. He opened his eyes just in time to see a beautiful red firework.

"Wow," he whispered in awe.

Sally pulled up beside him. "They're for you, Stickers."

Lightning and Sally watched the wonderful display of fireworks. Everytime one went off, Mater yelled,"WHOO! That was better than the last one!" giving the scene his own flavor. Sarge loved the sound they made, reminding him of his war days when bombs and explosions rained down. Flo and Ramone shared several kisses, and the twins screamed shrill screams with fright as they hid behind Mack. Doc came up to Lightning, who was still staring up at the sky from the middle of the road.

"How's your surprise?" he asked. Lightning could only reply with studders.

When the firework show was over, Doc gathered everyone at the café again and began a speech. "Today, we celebrate the day the Manufacturer brought this young kid into the world. Our town wouldn't be what it is today if Lightning wouldn't have come. In changing himself, he changed the town… and we're all proud of ya, Kid."

Everyone let out a loud round of shouts and agreements. "Well," Lightning began when it was quiet, "I don't deserve all the credit, though I thank you for the sincere presentation. However, it wasn't my fault that I stumbled here. It wasn't really anybody's…" He looked at Mack softly, knowing how much the semi had blamed and kicked himself for losing him. "But it was really YOU guys who changed ME."

"What-a-ever," Luigi piped up,"The town was brought back to life because of-a you."

"Let's just call it even," Sally suggested, and they all agreed.

"I guess what I'm saying is…" Lightning began again, and finished softly, his voice beginning to crack,"Thanks. You gave me a second chance, a transformation, a friendship I knew I didn't deserve. That's the best gifts anyone could give me, and I'm glad I've shared them with you these past 3 months."

"What a speech," Sheriff commented.

"Wheehoo! My Buddy's learned the true meaning of friendship!" Mater announced.

"That's' my hotrod," Lizzy sighed dreamily.

"Well done, Stickers," Sally congratulated.

Lightning smiled as he choked back the grateful tears and drove over to Guido and Luigi to discuss the new pit stop plans he made at his meetings. Flo disappeared in her garage for a few minutes, then came out scooting a rather large box.

"Hey, young man, can ya give me a tire?" she called out to Lightning.

"He drove over and helped her open the box. What came out astonished Lightning so much, he thought he would shake with excitement. "A karaoke machine?!"

"Not just any old karaoke machine. That's the one this Motorama Girl used to practice her vocals on," Flo explained.

After they set up in front of the café, Flo got everyone's attention. "Who's up for a round of singin' for Lightnin'?"

Lightning seemed taken back. "Wait. I didn't know you were gonna do this for me. I don't wanna make yourselves feel obligated to sing for me. My birthday isn't THAT special."

"Actually, it is. And if ya feel that way, why don't YOU sing US a song then?"

Lightning panicked. "OH! I didn't mean that! I can't sing!"

"Ah, I'm sure ya can, Bud," Mater chimed in.

"Yeah, and you DO kinda owe us for what we've done for you tonight," Sally teased.

"No, seriously. I. Can't. Sing." Then an ocean of opposition roared. Everyone was chanting his name the way his fans would. It gave him THAT feeling. "No. Don't do what my fans do before I race! I don't want to…" he couldn't help himself with the way they said his name. He then finished with a sudden straight face, "Alright, I'll do it."

"YEAH!!!" they shouted as he drove behind the microphone in front of everyone.

He gritted his teeth and thought to himself as he looked to his audience, "What did I get myself into? I haven't done this since I was 15! Now, my relationship with Sally is dying to move to the next level and get serious, and I gotta come up here and humiliate not only myself, but her too!" He looked at her, who was mentally sending messages and smiles for support. She mouthed the words, "Hit it, Stickers," and batted her eyes.

"What song do ya wanna sing?" Flo asked, prepared to insert a disk.

"Um… okay. I'm just warning you, but if you, at any time, need to be escorted to Sarge'd place to be put out of your upcoming misery, I'll be more than happy to go with you and see that it's properly done." A series of snickers came from everyone. "Flo, do ya have 'God Bless the Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts?"

For his answer, Flo popped a disk in and the machine was soon playing the background music. The piano in the song flooded the town with expectations of the words that went along with it. Lightning took a deep breath and played the key the song was in inside his mind. He opened his mouth, shaped his tongue, and let the air flow out.

~"I set out on a narrow way, many years ago

Hopin' I would find true love along the broken road.

But I got lost a time or two, wiped my brow, kept pushin' through,

I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you.

Every long lost dream led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart, the were like northern stars

Pointin' me on my way into your lovin' arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road that lead me straight to you.

I think about the years I spent just passin' through

I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you.

But you just smile and take my hand, you've been there, you understand.

It's all a part of a grander plan that is comin' true…"

He sang the chorus again this time with more vibrato in his vocalizing. His voice rang through the hearts of his listeners as he demonstrated through voice in singing how thankful he was for everything they gave him.

~"Yeeeaaaaaaaaaaah….

Now I'm just rollin' home into my lover's arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken rooooaaaad that led me straight…"

He looked right into Sally's eyes. His blue ones piercing her hazel. Then he finished.

~"To you…

ooooooooooooooooooooooo…."

The music died off as he his own vocalizing died off. When it was quiet enough to hear the crickets, he looked up at the crowd for their disapproval. But they just sat there all quiet and still. He thought he'd paralyzed them because of so much misery, but what he didn't know was they were still in shock at his performance.

"So uh…. Um… How was it?"

Everyone began yelling and slamming their tires on the pavement, and some even whistled. Their eyes were all teary and their fenders streaked. Lightning watched them with wide eyes, hoping they hadn't gone mad. Flo came up to him with her jaw on the pavement.

"Honey, if I'd known you'd sing like that, I would never have gotten that ol' thing out!" she exclaimed.

"It was that bad?" he asked, looking sheepish.

"NO! IT WAS GREAT! Instead of getting' the machine out, I would have taken you to Tennessee for a shot of a singin' career! You should be on the stage."

"Well, right now, it's just for you guys. So ya really liked it?"

"Well, YEAH! We all did!" everyone shouted.

Lightning smiled really big and drove over to his usual stop. Doc drove up to the microphone and sang "Every Mile A Memory". They all followed him: Sheriff singing "That Red Dirt Road", Mack singing "Ya Find out Who Your Friends Are", Mater singing "International Harvester", Flo singing "White Horse", and Luigi and Guido singing "My Maria". No one had to think twice about saying no to Lizzy when she asked if she could sing, so they let her put her radio on after the machine was put away.

"Hey kid. Nice Singin'," Doc commented as he went over to Lightning to talk.

"You weren't so bad yourself," he replied.

As they sat thinking about what to say next, Lightning gazed at Sally, who was across from him (several yards away) and chatting with Flo. She looked so pretty and her laugh was so uplifting. Lightning felt he had never met anyone liked her, even among the millions of girls he had met in the past. She was the type that anyone would o anything for, though she was too humble to think that of herself. And she was STUBBORN. She could make Doc change is mind on things he wouldn't allow himself, let alone others, to change for him. Her level headedness and self composer would make her a great mom.

"Someday," Lightning suddenly muttered out loud.

"What?" Doc asked.

Lightning realized he had spoken out loud. "Nothing, I… did you hear anything else?"

"Nope," Doc answered flatly, but eyed Lightning.

Lightning was relieved, and he continued looking at Sally. He felt so much for her. The first week he arrived here, he realized he liked her. When they almost kissed several times in the past 3 months, he realized he REALLY like her. So, he refurbished the Wheel Well Motel and gave it to her. And last month he took her to a movie. They agreed on it not being a "real date", but Lightning couldn't help but want to cuddle with her during the movie. He restrained himself from it though, but now regretted it. And the night they played a trick on Mater about the Ghostlight, (he IS real by the way), they were parked beside each other star gazing. There were little things in between those times that made their engines flutter, like the certain looks they gave one another. They made their excuses, indicating that there was nothing going on between them, but anyone could see behind them. Maybe it was time to bring it out of the shadows and take their chance of "together forever" into serious consideration. But there was a catch.

"I don't even know if she loves me in return," Lightning slipped out again aloud.

"I heard that this time," Doc told him.

"Are you sitting here, waitin' to see if I blurt something out?" he asked, examining him.

"Yes," he answered again in the same flat tone. Lightning rolled his eyes and over to Sally again. "You sure find her amusing tonight," Doc tried him. It worked apparently.

"I love her, Doc," he said quietly. Doc's windshield rose. He wasn't expecting THAT for an answer. "I've known her for 3 months now, and that's all the time in the world to get to know someone, especially if they're as open as she is to me."

"Well, she trusts you."

"And I trust her. Do you think I should tell her how I feel?"

"That's up to you, Hotrod." With that, Doc left for a new can of oil so Lightning could think about what was said.

Lightning looked at Sally again. "I… I'll think I'll wait a bit."

He went back to talking with Mack about how they surprised him and what he fell for in it. "Now I know this is weird for JUST NOW asking this, but why is the town empty? Where's all the customers?"

"Doc wanted the town to be peaceful for tonight, so he made a few calls and got the place off limits for customers. They were happy to stay away and give some room for they knew it was your birthday."

"Are the Motels full?"

"Nope. When everyone checked out yesterday, no one was allowed to check in."

"Great! This is what I like sometimes. Just peace and quiet."

"You're soundin' like me, Man," Filmore said from across the lot.

"Oh! Shut up, ya hippy!" Sarge barked.

"When are you two ever gonna stop arguing?" Mia asked, parking in front of him.

"Whenever you and your little sister stop swooning over every male that comes into town," Sarge replied.

Mia glared at him and then drove away, ignoring Filmore laughing at her and Sarge's comment. Lightning and Mack exchanged looks from the random scene. That was another thing Radiator Springs was known for: randomness.

"Um… we were saying?" Mack continued.

As the night grew old, the friends enjoyed the comforts they gave one another. Each one was quite sure there was no other place like this, and the truth was, there isn't. Lizzy's old radio began playing peppy songs that made Flo and Ramone eventually hit the road to cruise. The others, except Lightning, Sally, and Red, joined them. Lightning about fell over when Doc used one of his racing techniques for a cruise move. He couldn't believe Doc said that that move used to make the ladies fall for him.

"My beloved Hotrod! Come and let's cruise!" Lizzy called out to Lightning.

He watched the old car perform almost eerily in what she called "cruising". "Sorry, but I think I'll pass. My uh… mouth hurts!" he told her.

Sally chuckled at Lightning's excuse. He rolled over and parked next to her. "She's not what ya call a graceful cruiser, huh, Stickers?"

"No, but she's one in a million."

They watched everyone cruising, and Lightning could sense Sally giving signals that she wanted to also. He became really edgy as he tried to pluck up his courage in asking Sally to cruise. He'd done it before, but that was 3 months ago and things were different now. THEN he LIKED her. NOW he LOVED her. Did she feel the same?

It was her who asked, "Ya wanna cruise, Stickers?"

"Uh, I dunno. It gives me bitter-sweet memories."

"Yeah, me too." She sounded disappointed, which made Lightning feel a little guilty.

They were quiet again and began to slowly scoot away from each other. Red noticed this and didn't think it was fair. He blasted his horn, making Lightning, (who was beside him), yell and bump into Sally. "Oops! Sorry!" he apologized, making Red slump in disappointment.

But Sally cautiously nuzzled hid fender. He blinked at her with wide eyes. Did she just do that? She did it again, only this time she stopped when she was fully leaning into him. His oil pressure shot up dangerously high, and for a minute he was afraid he'd overheat. Sure, she had done this before, but to do it again meant another thing.

"Sally, did you just nuzzle me?" he asked in disbelief, hoping this wasn't a dream and he hadn't fallen asleep in front of everyone.

"Hello…" she merely said in a low voice.

There was nothing he could do. He fell for it. Red smiled with satisfaction and drove down the road to give them some room.

"Hey, ya gotta tell her!" a voice inside Lightning's hood kept saying. But he was too nervous. It wasn't like he was asking her to marry him. Now that was TOO far! Still, he'd never said it to anyone, but he knew nothing would be the same between them once he said it, either in a good or negative way. It was special. "Pull yourself together!" the voice said again. "You're Lightning McQueen and can handle anything." Lightning glanced down at the sparkling blue hood beside him that was resting on his fenders. "No, I WILL NOT chicken out of this again. She deserves to know. If I don't tell her, it will eat me alive." He gritted his teeth and spoke up.

"Sally?"

"Yes, Stickers?"

"I gotta show you something."

Sally released him and he drove around her. Swatting her bumper playfully with his tire, he bounced out in front of her. She shrieked with laughter.

"Come on!" he invited in a cheerful tone, bobbing up and down on his axles.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I hope you liked it. Let me know if ya did!


	4. The Best Night and the Next Morning

She watched him zoom off down the road, giving him a chance. Then she sped off after him. Sheriff watched with a glum face: Lightning and everyone else were to receive NO tickets this evening.

"Excuse us! Pardon us! Comin' through!" they both said as they passed the townsfolk, who just waved a tire and kept on cruising.

"It wasn't long before the Porsche caught up with the race car. "Ya know, that's mighty dangerous with you havin' no headlights," Sally said, turning her headlights on.

"True. But I'd rather watch yours shine in the dark," he said, a mischievous grin growing.

"You dirty, immature freak!" she exclaimed sarcastically. He laughed heartily.

"Hey, don't accelerate any more. We're not going to Wheel Well," Lightning told her.

"Where are we going then? Why are we on Tailfin Pass?"

"Just stick with me, Darlin', and you'll be fine. Slow down though."

They drove on side by side at about 50 mph. Lightning sensed they were getting close as they hugged the turns that began climbing upward.

"Okay, stop!" he said, quite suddenly, and she stopped. "Now follow me. Turn your lights off."

There was a big car-shaped tunnel that nature had given them in the canyon. The far end of the tunnel, where the moonlight could be seen, looked more inviting then the darkness of inside the tunnel. Sally stayed close to Lightning as they entered. Things looked so different at night when you drive incredibly slow.

"Close your eyes now, and when you FEEL me stop, stop," Lightning instructed.

Sally drove timidly with her eyes shut. Then, she felt herself press against the back of Lightning, and she stopped.

"Okay now… open your eyes."

When she opened them, she gasped in great amazement. They were at the waterfall, but the moon was reflecting off it's waters and made it look as if it was glowing white. Lightning parked beside Sally, happy to see her reaction.

"Stickers it's… beautiful," she finally breathed out. "When did you first notice this?"

"I went out for a drive one night. Couldn't sleep."

"I've been here for 2 years and I've never seen THIS!"

"You've never seen this?" Lightning asked, surprised for he thought she'd seen everything at every time in Radiator Springs.

"Nope. Sheriff and the rest wouldn't let me out at night be myself. They were worried something would happen to me and I would have not one to rescue me."

"Now I KNOW they trust me."

They exchanged smiles, and the thought of trust reminded Lightning of his conversation with Doc and why he brought Sally up there.

"Sally?"

"Yeah?"

"There's somethin' I gotta tell ya."

A mix of things were going through Sally's head. "He's engaged!" and "He's mad at me!" and "He thinks I don't look good!" were some of the things she thought. Despite her fears, she was curious and asked, "What is it?"

"Believe me, which I know ya do, I've known a LOT of girls in my time, more than any decent fellow would ever wanna know. But none of them made me feel the way you make me feel." He was almost sweating now, and his tongue felt like it was tied in knots. His tank churned as Sally looked into his eyes, waiting to hear what she had been longing to hear. Lightning almost decided to make something dumb up and somehow turn it all into a joke. But the thought occurred to him again: she deserved to know. "I guess what I'm saying is…" Here it comes! The life-changing thing that happens in 3 words.

"I love you."

Sally looked at him with sparkling eyes. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Lightning confirmed, suddenly gaining a lot of courage. "It's taken me 3 months to figure that out. I love you. And I never wanna lose you. So from this day on, I promise I will never leave you for anyone else."

She began to cry as she said," Say it again."

"I promise I will never leave you."

Sally leaned up against him and let the tears roll down. Lightning felt them brush onto him, and he felt tears swell up in his own eyes. This was the best moment in his life since he got that toy dinosaur he always wanted when he was a little kid, and this would top even that!

"Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome, but I should be thanking you!"

"Well, I'd rather give than receive, even on my birthday."

Only the sound of the waterfall was heard. The stars twinkled above them, and no clouds were seen in the whole sky. Lightning found the constellation Pegasus and Sally found the Canis Major.

"Oh look! A shooting star!" Sally exclaimed. "You make a wish."

Lightning looked at her and said," You make a wish."

"Let's make one together."

Lightning stretched out his wheel and tucked it behind Sally's wheel. "Ya ready?"

Sally closed her eyes and smiled while Lightning did the same. After a few minutes of silence, they opened them again.

"What'd ya wish for?" Lightning asked.

"I can't tell or it won't come true."

"But I really wanna know!" he wailed, bobbing up and down on his axels again.

"Sttop whinin'! Here, I'll make ya a deal. When and if it comes true, I'll let ya know."

He cave her an emotionless look. "What kind of a deal is that?"

"The best you're gonna get," she teased.

"Oh, I love you," he sighed, pressing his cheek against her. "I feel so much better now that I've told you."

"Ditto."

"I want you to think about that often… especially during next week."

"You're not going back to the conferences are you?" she almost panicked.

"No. But remember that Radiator Springs is officially on the map next week?"

"Oh, yeah I remember! How could I have forgotten that!"

"Probably because you're used to the town being so… dead. Anyway, I'm sure that things are gonna get beyond busy, considering it being so neglected all these years."

"Are you saying we aren't gonna have much time together?"

"Well, it's an idea, a possibility. Not definite or guaranteed. I just want you to be assured that no matter haw busy each of us get, or how long we're separated, or how much we must help others despite how we feel, I will love you."

"So even if it looks as if you're ignoring me, it won't be so?"

"Precisely. You catch on quick… in a good way."

"Comes from spending 5 years in law school," she said almost wearily," And having a rough life."

Sally leaned into Lightning again for comfort. His engine rumble a little in pure happiness.

"Oh, likin' this, aren't we?" Sally asked with a smile.

Lightning replied with another rumble with his engine. The crickets were heard, and sound of the waterfall played in the background. Peace…. Until …. "SNAP!!!!" Twig echoed.

"What was that?" Sally whispered as she jumped.

"Hm? Oh, I don't know, maybe a bird or something," Lightning guessed before settling back down. "Wait a minute," he suddenly said, leaving Sally's side.

He drove over to where a cluster of bushes grow. "Stickers, be careful!" she warned in the loudest whisper she dared.

Lightning turned and looked at her, giving her a reassuring smile. Her worried expression only cut a little slack, though. He faced the bushed again. Suddenly, he darted into them. There could be heard a sound of struggling and gasping. Then, Lightning yelped.

"Lightning!" Sally exclaimed, and prepared to charge into the bushes after him. But before she charged, Lightning's bumper poked out.

"Come on and there won't be any more trouble," she heard him say. Then he backed out into the open, and following him was a photographer.

Sally stood in awe and embarrassment for she knew the paparazzi had gotten every detail of her and Lightning's previous talks and snuggles. Lightning knew this too.

"Okay, hand it over," he said roughly, holding out his tire expectantly.

"No! I gotta job to keep!" the paparazzi retorted. He was a little on the small size, and his voice was so high pitched, it made Sally's windshield go up.

"Well, now there's two ways we can do this. There's the easy way or the hard way. If I were you, I'd pick the easy way, 'cause considering your size, I don't think you can hold yourself up against me." Lightning rolled in front of the petite car and his shadow engulfed him. The paparazzi shivered.

"Okay… it's in the bushes," he squeaked nervously. He drove into the bushes and retrieved the video camera he had and dropped it in front of Lightning.

"Thank you," Lightning snorted. "Now of with ya!!"

The little car frowned at him and bit Lightning's cheek before zipping away.

"OW! MAN! OH GOSH, THAT HURT!!" Lightning exclaimed, twitching in pain.

"Oh, Stickers! Are you okay?" Sally asked, examining the bite.

"Ahhh…. I'm okay. But it stings. There was a small dent in his right cheek. "Geeze! Oh how I HATE paparazzi sometimes!"

"I never wanna be one, no matter how much they get paid," Sally decided. She massaged his cheek with her tire until the dent was smoothed out. When she was finished, she looked up at Lightning, who looked like he was enjoying it. His eyes were closed and his mouth curling.

"Wow, thanks," he told her and opened his eyes. He winked at her.

Sally blushed and turned so Lightning couldn't see her growing pink. Lightning attached the video camera to his wheel and turned it on.

"What are you doing?" Sally asked.

"You'll see," Lightning drawled, then turned the camera light on. "Hi, Miss! Say hi for me."

"Stickers, are you taping me?" Sally panicked.

"Yes, I am, now say hi!"

"Hi, I'm Sally Carrera."

"I've got a few questions for you, Miss Sally," Lightning said from behind the camera in a fake professional voice.

"Okay, shoot Mr…."

"McQueen. I'm Lightning McQueen."

"Lightning McQueen? Hm, never heard of him," she smiled.

"Yeah whatever. Anyway, question one: Did you like the surprise I gave ya?"

"Yes, very much," she replied, batting her eyes.

Lightning grinned and went on. "Question two: Do you like stir oil, (stir fry)?"

"Um, no," she chuckled.

"Me neither. I got a tank virus the night I last ate it and threw it up all night. I can't eat it any more." Sally burst out laughing. "Okay, question three: do you… do you love me?"

Sally quit laughing and looked serious. "You haven't told me yet."

"Stickers, I love you."

"WHOOHOO!!!" he yelled and began bouncing around.

"Stickers, turn the camera off! You're making the video all blurry!" Sally giggled.

"I'm gonna get you!" he laughed, tossing the camera off his wheel and starting at her.

Sally screamed and zoomed off a little ways before turning around and zooming back. He chased her around on a big circle, then stopped when she tried to go around him. She slowed down and did perfect doughnuts around him while he examined her body. She was so attractive and gorgeous! It enchanted him. He quickly drove right in front of her, causing her to stop. They looked into each other's eyes and gave in. They closed their eyes and started to close the gap in between them. This was it: their first kiss and no one to interrupt it! But, sadly they never toughed each other's lips for they heard Mater screaming at tractors from somewhere in the valley below. They reversed quickly with embarrassment as they snapped back into reality.

"I think we should get back," Sally said.

Lightning took the camera and went away to throw it in a nearby trashcan, (the town put trashcans around that area for tourists). "Okay, I'm ready," he announced after he returned.

Sally flipped on her headlights and they made their way through the midnight darkness. Lightning stayed so close to Sally, she could almost feel his metal on hers. But she thought this was because he had no headlights of his own and it was dark. This, however, was not so.

When they reached the town, it was quiet and the only one about was Sheriff. "Goodnight you two," he told them, then fixed his eyes again down the road.

"Goodnight," they called out and drove into the Cozy Cone Motel parking lot.

Lightning took Sally over to a cone beside his. "This is where you'll stay?"

"Yep. With no customers, I can finally get a real room instead of an office to sleep in. Did you enjoy your birthday?"

"Yes! Thank you! It was the best ever!"

"You're welcome. Well… goodnight." She turned and entered her cone.

"Hey," he said, and she turned around to listen. "Goodnight," he finished with affection.

"Goodnight," she smiled.

He winked at her and drove into his own cone. She blushed but smiled as she closed her door. Lights were out and the crickets were the only living things heard.

Lightning awake around 6 a.m. He stretched out his axels and opened his door to the greeting of the morning. The sun was just beginning to rise and so were the citizens of Radiator Springs. He waited eagerly for Sarge and Filmore's fight that had begun down the road. No matter how annoying it was, it still beat waking up to a stuffy hotel room in California. Lightning drove out into the cool air of the morning. It was beautiful out today and he was looking forward to maybe some training from Doc.

Doc Hudson was the best and wisest friend anyone could have. His experience with racing and it's injuries made him a great doctor, and his experience with patients and their attitudes made him a good judge. He had done more for Lightning than he could have ever asked for. Doc always made him feel special in every circumstance, and Lightning felt he should do something in return.

"Maybe I will…" Lightning muttered to himself. He flew back inside of his cane, made a phone call, and headed over to Doc's place.

"Doc, are you awake?" he yelled, banking his tire on the door.

"Yes," came a froggy voice. "Comin'."

"Don't rush," Lightning said. He could hear machines being turned off from inside. "Why was he working at this hour? He usually gets up right about now," Lightning wondered to himself. The clinic doors swung open.

"What do ya want, Son?" Doc asked. He looked tired and unusually untidy.

"Oh, I just wanted to know if ya got any plans for today?"

"Nope. No customers equals no plans."

"Good, 'cause… do ya wanna have some fun today?" Lightning asked, excitement laced in his words.

"Well, I dunno," Doc looked unsure.

"Ah! Come on! It'll be cool!"

"Why'd do ya wanna do something out of the ordinary anyway?"

"I dunno. I guess I just wanna do something special for you today. Something in my tank tells me I should."

"Are you sure it ain't just hunger pains?" Doc asked, cocking a windshield.

"Positive. Come on! Let's do it!"

"What're we gonna do?" Doc asked, driving out of his clinic..

"Go with the flow, Dude! We're hitting the Interstate."

"Oookay," Doc agreed, still uncertain about this plan. "How long will be gone?"

"Well, we're not GOING anywhere, we're meeting someone there."

"Who?"

"Let's just say it's an old friend," Lightning smiled mysteriously.

They drove off out of town, past the billboard, past the street light, and over the railroad until they saw where the road connected with the Interstate. Lightning looked around anxiously while Doc watched him with worry.

"Kid, how'd ya know this 'old friend' of mine is gonna be here?"

"I made a call before I went to your place this morning," Lightning answered, now searching the skies. "Look! There he is!!"

Doc looked up and saw a Dinaco helicopter hovering its way down to the ground about a mile away from them in the desert sand. Lightning sped off to greet them, and Doc followed unusually slow. The door slid to the side, and who should drive down the ramp but Strip Weathers, a.k.a. The King.

"HELLO!" Strip shouted above the helicopter. "THANKS, BILL!" The helicopter then rose up and disappeared in the sky. "Hey, Hudson!" Strip shouted again. "Lightning!"

"Strip! I can't believe you're here!" Doc exclaimed.

"You have this Kid here to thank for that. Now let's head off to get some ice cold lemonoil from Flo's café."

Strip and Doc began their way back to town, and Lightning smiled with satisfaction. He listened to their lively conversation about the old days and when they used to race aginst each other. It was a neat but truly rare sight to see two such great legends talking and laughing together the way they did. Lightning thought the way back into town was a lot shorter than Doc and his trip out of town earlier.

"Mrs. Flo, how are ya?" Strip asked Flo when they pulled up to the café.

"Strip! Well it's nice to see ya! When'd you come in? We've missed ya since last time ya visited."

"Lightning called me this morning, and I happened to be in a city only a few hours away from here on a trip with my wife. So, I came out to spend the day with Hudson and him. I'm afraid I have to go back around supper time though, Ma'am."

"Tush! Call me Flo. Well, I'm glad you could spend some time here. We have the place off limits until next week when we're officially on the map. So there won't be any fans of yours to bother ya'll while you're visiting. Ya'll need a drink?"

"Three lemonoils, please, Flo. It's on me," Lightning offered. Flo left to get the oil.

"Why was the town off limits in the first place? I thought Radiator Springs would welcome any amount of tourism," Strip asked Doc.

"The Kid here had a birthday yesterday," Doc said proudly.

"No kiddin'! how old are ya now?"

"Twenty-one," Lightning answered.

"Oh, then you're okay. You're still a young buck, not like us retired race cars."

"Hey, the only reasons I retired was because I wrecked, was rejected, and was a young hothead! Otherwise, I'd still be racin' today," Doc defended himself.

"Yeah right. Hudson, You're an old fashioned kinda guy when it comes to racing, and I know ya wouldn't compete on a paved track," Strip teased.

Before Doc could react to that, Flo came up and said," Here's your lemonoil." She placed a can in front of each of them.

The trio sucked on their straws in silence for a minute. Sally then drove up from her cone and said her good mornings. Then she saw Strip. "Mr. The King?"

"Courtesy of Lightning, Ma'am. Pleasure to see ya again," Strip said.

"Well is my week turning out to be splendid!" she exclaimed. "I'm gonna go get some breakfast." She drove up to the café nook and began to order.

Strip noticed how Lightning looked after her longingly. "Uh oh, looky there," he told Doc and pointed a tire at Lightning.

"I know. They really like each other."

"Well, have you made the preparations for the wedding yet?"

"No. As far as I know, he hasn't even told her he loves her."

"Well, that's gonna tear him up. Believe me I know. You should warn him."

"I talked to him a little yesterday, but I really think it's their business."

"Yeah, you're right," Strip said, taking another sip. "Still, he should let her know."

"Well, last night they went out for a drive alone."

"Did you keep an eye on them?"

"No, why?"

"You know the way Lightning has been introduced to the world! His type are very un-modest these days. He's gotta be careful."

"Lightning knows that. He's not stupid. Besides, he prefers to live in a way that is pleasing and makes others comfortable. He hates bearing guilt and shame and regret. He wouldn't do something like that… especially to Sally."

"He does have that feeling of lightheartedness about him. Hey Lightning!"

"Yeah?" Lightning asked, tearing his eyes reluctantly from Sally.

"Come here." Lightning obeyed and came closer. "Are you sweet on here?"

Lightning blushed furiously and whispered, "Is it THAT obvious?"

Doc and Strip went into a fit of laughter. "Boy, a blind car could see it!" Doc heaved.

"Well… shush! Don't give her any ideas we're talkin' about her," he whispered.

Doc and Strip calmed down and looked at him. "Kid, don't do somethin' stupid, which by the way you're very good at, and let that girl get away from you. She'll do a lot of good."

"I know," Lightning announced. "Hey! Let's go down to Willy's Butte!"

"Good idea! Come on!" Doc said, and he and Strip left.

Lightning looked to Sally for a minute and caught her gaze. He winked and then took off to catch up with Doc and Strip. Sally batted her eyes and then began eating her breakfast.


	5. The Last Day

Author's note: Okay, I think I'm _slowly_ getting out of this writer's block phase. I now finished up this chapter as I had originally wanted it to end. I open the floor of reviews for your ideas of what you may guess Lightning sees at the end of this chapter. Now, on with the show!

Lightning was glad he could get Strip off the subject of him and Sally. There was nothing to hide, (and even if there was, everyone in their small town would soon know it), but at times it could be embarrassing to talk publicly about it. "Oh well," he thought, "It's not gonna be too secretive for too much longer."

Willy's Butte came into view. The dust curled off the dirt track as the wind passed through, and the almost red dirt shined luminously in the sunlight. There was an earthy smell to the place, and the tire track clouds in the sky gave the final touch.

"Oh how I love this place!" Lightning piped up as they surveyed the track. "It is here that I've learned from the Best many tricks that has given me the license to win many races. From the sweat of our windshields and the courage of our engines, Doc and I accomplished much. The pain we have gone through was enough to remember, but it was always worth it in the end. Gents, I give you… Willy's Butte!"

"That was beautiful, Son. I want you to say something like that in my funeral," Doc said.

Strip chuckled, "Now, ya ain't serious are ya, Doc?"

Doc flashed him a look that clearly said, "Ya think I would joke about something like that?" Then he drove down to the edge of the dirt track. Strip and Lightning looked at each other, confused by Doc, but they cast it off and went and joined Doc.

"There ain't nothin' that can fully describe the difference between dirt racing and asphalt racing. It's just too vast in the feeling of it," Strip sighed, lost in memories of the past.

"Wanna relive that feeling and take on a champ?" Lightning challenged.

"Ya sure ya wanna race an experienced racer?" Strip asked.

"Oh! I didn't mean race me, I meant race Doc here!"

"I guess he don't have the parts to," Strip said to Doc.

"Whoa! I just didn't understand, but I never said no," Lightning smiled.

"Doc, should he? I mean, I might squash him too hard."

"Well, if ya feel that way, Strip, we'll make it even. I'll get my crew chief hoodphones for Lightning, and then he'll have some backup," Doc suggested.

"Experience through oil (blood in the human world) and experience though hoodphones…. I like it," Lightning approved. "You're on, Strip!"

"In racin', Kid, ya call me The King," Strip ordered.

"Well it may be time for The Prince to step up to the plate."

"This ain't baseball, Son," Doc reminded Lightning.

"I know, Doc… this is dirt racing!"

Doc left the two racers to practice while he got his hoodphones. When he got back, he found them waiting on the track.

"What took ya so long?" Lightning asked.

"I'm feelin' rather slow today," Doc announced and settled in a spot where he could study the entire track.

"Comes with old age," Strip whispered to Lightning.

"Turn your intercom system on, Hotrod!" Doc called out. "Are ya ready?" The two racers replied with roaring engines. "On your mark, get set,… go!!!"

They sped off, leaving clouds of dirt behind them. After the first turn, Doc asked, "Kid, how many laps did you and The King decide on when I was gone?"

"One hundred, Doc. I figured that would be enough."

"Yeah, you're doin' this for fur. It's all fun and games until somebody loses a tire."

"You can say that again! I of all cars should know that!" Lightning laughed.

"Kid! To your left!"

Lightning swerved just in time to avoid a collision with Strip due to his laughing. "Man! You always see a whole other side of cars when you race them!"

"No, Hotshot, that was your fault. Ya need to focus."

"Got it, Doc."

"Glad your takin' my advice graciously and without a fight today, Rookie."

"Well, right now I just wanna beat The King again, whatever it takes."

"I thought that might be why," Doc grinned, his trained eye following the young car who was barely behind Strip racing down the track. "Okay, The Turns comin' up."

"Drive it in deep and hope it sticks?" Lightning guessed.

"Go for it."

"T.R.T.G.L!" Lightning shouted as he glided in the turn.

Strip was gliding along with him. "T.R.T.G.L?"

"Turn Right To Go Left," Lightning explained.

"Nice phrase," Strip commented, gripping the dirt with his tires again.

"Learned from the best," Lightning said, also beginning to drive straight again. Doc smiled as he listened to them.

The laps went on and seemed to drag. The desert sand and dirt began to get hot from the tires and sweat dripped from their hoods as the sun grew into midday.

"It's noon, Kid," Doc said, studying the sky.

"I figured. Well, only one lap to go now," Lightning panted. "How're ya holdin' up, The King?"

"This is cake… from last month!" Strip almost wheezed.

Lightning laughed at his joke. "Been awhile since ya raced, huh?"

"Well, I had to recover from my wreck and I haven't gotten into shape quite yet.. I know, it's only been a couple of months, but that can do anything to ya!"

"Ain't that the truth?" Lightning agreed, thinking about Sally.

"Okay, Boys, two turns left. Ya got T.T. and F.T." Doc informed Lightning.

"Two turns left… T.T. and F.T." Lightning yelled to Strip who was right along side him.

"T.T. and F.T?"

"The Turn, which is the ticket to the cactus patch, and the Final Turn. Doc and I give just about everything here nicknames. It sounds kinda like codes."

"It sounds cool."

They rounded the second turn and then fixed their eyes at T.T. A grumble came from inside Lightning as his body prepared itself to give all it had. Doc squinted in the sunlight to find a way for Lightning to win easily.

"Well, Kid, looks like all you can rely on is the speed of your tires," Doc said.

"Doc, how else have I always won in past races?" Lightning chickled.

"Ya kinda had the best crew chief in the world to help ya in your last race, the tie-breaker and the one that really mattered."

"Hey, you're right. There's a lot I've accomplished in racing and character because of you."

"Don't get me all teary-eyed. I wanna actually see ya win this race."

"Why're ya goin' against what you're tryin' to teach me? You tell me not to be cocky!"

"Watch that grill of yours, Hothead," Doc laughed.

"Okay, here we go. WHHOOOOOHOOOOOO….." Lightning let out like a bugel.

He pitched it hard and turned it loose, as Doc would say. Driving by the throttle, Lightning glided on the turn so effortlessly, it appeared as if he was on glass, yet in total control. Strip did the same, only not as gracefully as Lightning did. Lightning made sure this T.T. would be the best Doc had seen him do yet. Doc was in awe as he watched the young car that he'd trained, he'd taught, he saw as a son overcome his weakness on the track with style, hug the Final Turn, and slowly stop after crossing the finish line IN FRONT of one of the greatest racing legends. He'd done it again.

"Well, Lightnin', it seems like your record remains unblemished at the time. That was some great racin'," Strip congratulated Lightning.

"Oh yeah! Get 'er done!! I beat The King in my first race against him on dirt! WHOOHOO!!" Lightning exclaimed, prancing around like a reindeer gone bananas.

"So, what do I have to do? I mean, I doubt we weren't racin' for just braggin' rights," Strip said.

"I want you to get arrested for being a DUI and hang the next day's newspaper on you wall during that retirement party you'll be throwing soon," Lightning ordered.

"Oh, geeze, Lightning, really?" Strip asked quickly.

"Nah," Lightning laughed. "How 'bout this… you get your wife, Lynda, something from Lizzy's store. 'Kay?"

"That sounds good to me. We'll need to go back now, though. I should be getting' goin' pretty soon."

"Already?" Doc asked as they began to rive back.

"Well, I should leave in about three and a half hours," Strip answered.

"Come on! Let's hurry! Me and Doc have had nothin' but a drink today," Lightning whined.

"You're such a baby," Doc told him. Lightning pouted, and Doc and Strip laughed.

"When they got back into town, they headed straight for Lizzy's shop. Strip was glad they went there immediately, for they were in there for about an hour.

"Maybe you should get her this," Lizzy suggested.

"She's asked him that about that same bumper sticker twenty-two times already," Lightning whispered to Doc as the two watched from outside on Lizzy's porch.

"Be quiet," Doc snapped, then added quietly, "It was actually twenty-three times."

"Or maybe, this one!!"Lizzy exclaimed, pointing her wheel to another one.

"I don't think she really likes crossbones, Ma'am," Strip said.

"Well," Lizzy drawled as she used surprising speed for an old Two-Cylinder over to a box in the corner. "She'll like this snow globe! Everyone likes snow globes. I remember one time Stanley tried to get me…."

"Uh, snow globes are a bit too wintry. It's only fall right now," Strip politely interrupted.

"He's so patient with Lizzy, it's amazing," Lightning mumbled to Doc.

"Kid, everyone has a ton of patience when compared to your," Doc grinned.

"No snow globe? Well, how's this?" Lizzy said, bumping into the box the snowglobe was on. It fell off and shattered into a million tiny pieces in a puddle of water.

"Oh, Ma'am, I'll pay for that, if ya want," Strip offered.

"Why? I did it on purpose."

"Why would ya do that for?!"

"How else am I gonna get the box open? It was on top, and I ain't about to waste my pretty voice and yell over to get Guido to come all the way over here just to get it off for me."

Lightning could be heard snickering.

"I didn't like that snow globe anyway. It gave me the creeps."

"Why'd ya try to sell it to me then?" Strip questioned.

"'Cause I don't want it. What else could I do with it? You didn't want it so I thought I might as well break it."

"AH!Haha! Ahahaha! Aha… OW!!" Lightning laughed then whined when Doc hit him.

"What're ya laughin' bout, Hotrod? Are ya in for a good whippin'?" Lizzy threatened.

"No, Ma'am," Lightning said quietly. "Sorry."

Lizzy drove over the box, busting it open and lip gloss sticks rolled everywhere. "How about a lip gloss stick?"

"That's perfect! How much?" Strip asked.

"Fifty bucks."

"FIFTY BUCKS?!?!?!" Strip choked.

"Well, how else am I gonna make a living when I go around breakin' my own stuff?"

Lightning held back a fit of laughter with all he could.

You do have a point," Strip agreed, cocking a windshield. "I guess I'll take it."

"Finally. It's been an hour," Doc noted.

"Since when do you care about doin' stuff other than racing and doctoring quickly?" Lightning wondered.

"Since my time on this old earth is runnin' out," Doc said. Lightning looked at him sadly as the realization from Doc's sudden comment dawned on him. "Forget it, Son. I'll be fine. But we all gotta go sometime." Lightning, however, became inwardly concerned.

"Okay, I got my gift. Now what? I got about two hours left," Strip asked coming out of Lizzy's.

"Let's do see Sally," Lightning suggested, smiling, eagerly.

"Good grief," Doc mumbled.

"Know what, how 'bout we? Me and my family might come visit in a couple of weeks."

"And she can tell ya when everything's opened and you can stay at the Motels," Lightning said.

"Well, let's go then!" Doc announced.

They drove over to the Cozy Cone Motel and looked around for Sally. "Where is she?" Lightning wondered aloud. Suddenly his cone's door went up and out she drove.

"Okay, it's all cleaned, Stickers, and ready for you to move back in," she was saying.

"Thanks, Sally. You're the best," he said, gently touching her side.

"Well, don't forget , now that you're in it again, you need to make your weekly payment by keeping it cleaned," she reminded him.

"Yeah, she inspects my cone," he groaned to Doc and Strip.

"It IS rather HER cone," Strip chuckled.

"Sally, how's your schedule the next few weeks?" Lightning asked, changing the subject.

"You have family coming in, Stickers?"

"No. You know, I don't have any other family other than my mom."

"Yes you do. I know ya do," Doc argued.

"Well, I don't know them. Anyway, Strip here wants to know what's going on."

Sally led the three boys into her office and Strip figured when he could visit Radiator Springs with his family. When they were done they all drove to Flo's to eat.

"I'm so hungry I can eat a whole tracker," Lightning panted.

"Here's some oil then so ya won't eat anybody here," Flo said, serving him a quart of oil.

"I'm sorry ya gotta leave, Strip. I don't know when I'll see ya again," Doc said.

"Well, Lynda and my boy is waitin' for me."

"Yep. Don't wanna keep the lady waitin'," Lightning laughed, looking at Sally.

"That is some good advice," Sally smirked.

Everyone laughed and laughed, all of them agreeing from experience. They spent the rest of the remaining time with Strip sharing memories and old stories of their past. Only did Sally and Red remain silent. Red did because he was extremely shy and wouldn't talk to even the friends he had for over forty years, and Sally, well… know one really knew why she didn't say anything but laugh at the others' tales.

"Hon', are you okay?" Lightning whispered to her.

"Yeah, why?" she asked, confused.

"Ya aren't sayin' much, I've noticed."

"Stickers, I'm fine."

"If something was wrong, would you tell me?"

"Yes, I would," she answered sincerely.

"Okay… I trust you," Lightning said, trying to convince himself now.

"And I you. I love you."

For a second, Lightning froze, then he melted. "I love you too."

"Uh oh," Strip moaned above the laughter. "It's time for me to head off towards the interstate for my flight."

"Ya goin' off in that helicopter?" Mater asked excitedly. "Can I come too?"

"Sorry," Strip regrettably said. "But I promise next time we come I'll let ya have a nice, long ride, kay?"

"Okay!" Mater yelled. "Now hurry up and go home so you can come again sooner and I can have my ride."

Strip chuckled and looked at Doc, who nodded in approval. Then he turned to everyone else. "Thanks for the hospitality. I can't wait to enjoy it more sometime in the future."

"Let us know when ya get there so we'll know you're safe," Sheriff said.

"It was a pleasure to visit with you, Strip," Sally told him.

"Miss Sally, you are very thoughtful and polite. Some boy's gonna wreck himself into this town one day and not only fall for the town, but for you as well," Strip said to her, and winked at Lightning, who blushed furiously.

"Wow! You got Stickers all fired up," she noticed.

"I guess I did! And 'fired' is the correct word, too. He's redder than lava," Strip laughed, making everyone laugh again. Lightning pouted again.

"Ain't he cute?" Sally giggled, snuggling up to Lightning.

Everyone let out a series of Ooohh's and Aahhh's before sighing at the love birds. Lightning glared teasingly at Strip and said, "Look what ya made her do… and in front of everyone, too!"

"Maybe she's already found that wrecked up boy who's crashed into town and stole its heart and, more specifically, yours," Strip said to Sally.

"Now, Strip...." Sally began but he interrupted.

"Nope. I won't here it. My teasing session is now over, and I gotta go. Come on, Doc and Lightnin', let's go. Bye everyone!"

The three cars said their goodbye's and headed off to the interstate.

Later.........

"Feel free to call us when you're on your way next time ya visit," Lightning told Strip.

"I've booked a room for us in around two months, so unless I see ya before then, peace out!" Strip chuckled.

"You're soundin' like Filmore," Doc teased.

"Yeah.... but seriously, thanks for callin' me, Lightnin'. I enjoyed the visit with you and especially Doc."

"We talked about things we haven't talked about in years," Doc said.

"I _knew_ I had somethin' in that hood of mine!" Lightning joked.

The three cars talked some more until a blue Dinoco helicopter appeared in the sky. Bill hovered and then floated down with ease before letting down his ramp. Strip backed up on it and paused. "Hudson, it was really nice visitin' with ya. Now that I'm retired, I've noticed that young spark in me failin'. Durin' this visit, I felt like I did when we spent those summers together when we WERE young."

"I am a little older than you and more cautious now days, so I'm sorry I couldn't race ya this time," Doc said, looking a bit guilty.

"Ya did race me... through that kid right there. He did everything he's been taught, by YOU."

"Well, I DID teach him how to drive," he snickered, winking at Strip. Lightning noticed and rolled his eyes.

"Yes ya di. Well, I gotta go. I'll see ya later!"

"Goodbye, Strip. If we don't meet again, I'll be watching you one way or another."

"Goodness, Hudson. Ya sound as if this is our final parting!" Strip exclaimed.

"What if it is? Ya never know what'll happen to us. It's all in the Manufacture's will."

"Yes, it is........." Strip trailed off, not sure of where Doc was going with this.

"You've been a GREAT friend, Strip."

"And you've been too, Hudson."

"Goodbye," Doc said with unusual friendly tenderness.

"Goodbye. Bye Lightnin'," Strip said a little more casually to Lightning who nodded in return. "Bye!!!!"

The door closed. Lightning and Doc backed up to get out of the way. Bill started up, and with a cloud of dust, lifted up into the sky. Lightning coughed and sputtered while Doc stared.

"Wasn't *_cough* _that a *_cough* _great day *_cough*?" _Lightning asked while he gaged on the dust.

"Yep. It was. Thanks, Son," Doc answered. They turned and began to drive back to the town again.

Lightning blabbed on and on about some subject, but Doc wasn't listening. His mind was on something of more importance. It was life changing, in fact. He finally decided to tell Lightning.

"Lightning, can you be quiet a minute?"

Lightning immediately was silent. He knew Doc was about to tell him something that was serious and he would trust him with. In the short time he had been with Doc, Lightning had learned that even in the mere use of his first name, Doc _needed_ his attention.

"What is it, Doc?" He asked, confused and concerned.

"What happened in your past?

Lightning was suddenly nervous, and he hardly knew why. He stopped in his tracks and asked, "Why do you wanna know?"

"Lightning, I need to know..... now," Doc said softly.

He sighed and began. "It was hard. I was only about four years old when my only grandma told me that my mom had died. I didn't understand why. Not long after, my grandma died, and I had gone to live with a foster parents. It was kind of nice. I mean, I got whatever I wanted when I wanted it, but it was never family. It was a big foster home, so their attention was always on someone else. It wasn't until I was ten that I learned what really happened to my parents....."

Doc just sat there and listened. Tears glistened at the corners of his windshield, something that rarely happened.

"My dad was a racer. A great one from what I'm told. It ended though sometime in 1954. He quit racing and went to live a life of his own. He became a doctor and worked hard for a long time. He met my mom and married her in 1984, and I was born the next year. Because of dad's hectic work schedule, he could hardly spend time we mom and me. Mom thought dad was ignoring us on purpose and dad was always tired. They began fighting and.... dad left. Mom broke down and wouldn't eat or anything. She loved my dad. She soon was malnourished and died. I never saw my dad again and I didn't have anything to help me find him. All I knew was that he was a racer. Racing was naturally in my oil (blood), so I left the foster home and began racing. I also hoped maybe I'd find a clue of where my dad could be. Soon, through my passion for it, racing took over my life, as you well know. I soon gave up looking. What would he want to do with his son now? I'm twenty-one." Lightning sunk low on his tires in grief. He felt so alone... a feeling he'd had all his life.

Doc was looking at the dirt in front of him, when he raised his head. "A lot."

"What?" Lightning asked in confusion.

"He'd want a LOT to do with you. Lightning McQueen................ I am your dad."

Lightning could only stare in amazement. He was dumbfounded. "Dad?"

Doc nodded. Lightning let out a "Whoohoo!" like he never had. The Fabulous Hudson Hornet was Lightning McQueen's dad!!!!!!

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe this! And to think I've known you all along! Did you already know this?!" Lightning exclaimed.

"Well, I've been thinkin' good and hard. It seemed more than just coincidence that your birthday was on the same one as my son's birthday and you were the same age, and..... everything about you."

"IT ALL MAKES SENSE!!!!" Lightning yelled to the world. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Son." Doc suddenly looked grave. "So, Julia is dead?"

Lightning stopped prancing and looked down in sadness. "Yes. Mom's dead."

"And to think it was because of me!" Doc cried out, then he wept.

Lightning didn't know what to do. He'd never seen Doc...... his dad...... cry before. So, he did what he could think of. He drove over to Doc's side and leaned up against him. "Dad, don't cry, please. She's in a better Place. And you've got me now."

Doc's sobs and groans began to subside, and he smiled thinly between his tears. "This much is true. I do have you."

"Let's go tell the others!" Lightning suggested, and they started off again.

The rest of the evening was full of laughter and joy. Everyone was happy, but not everyone was surprised that there was a relation between the two cars. They sort of knew it all along. When it came time to go to bed, Doc and Lightning was exhausted from the day's events. They were the last, however, to hear laughing and talking down by Doc's clinic.

"Well, I'd better be off to bed. *_yawn*_ Wanna practice at the track tomorrow?" Lightning asked.

"Eh.... nah. Why don't you take the rest of the week off. You'll need it," Doc said, looking peculiar, but Lightning was too tired to notice.

"Goodnight, Dad! You're the best dad in the world," Lightning said, driving away. "Goodnight, Son. Wait!" Lightning halted and looked at him. Doc met his eyes and said softly, "I love you, Lightnin'."

"I love you too, Dad," Lightning said, smiling.

Doc went into his garage, and Lightning drove off to his cone happier than he could ever remember being.

The Next Morning.......

Lightning woke up and flew out of his cone, the usual routine. He was full of energy and ready to spend the day with his dad. He drove over to the clinic thinking about how blessed he was in his life. Things had never been so good for him. He banged on Doc's garage door. As he waited, he observed the building in front of him. It needed a MAJOR make over. But he knew that the inside of the building was worse than the outside. Maybe he and Doc would clean it someday together.

"Hmmm.... Maybe he's in his clinic," Lightning said when Doc didn't open his garage door.

The clinic doors were unlocked, so he knew Doc was in there. He never left them unlocked without him being there. As Lightning pushed open the door, he heard a ringing noise from inside. It sounded sort of like a long beep blurred together.

"Dad!" Lightning called out above the noise. "Do you need my help?!" Lightning made his way into the back room. "Dad?" he asked, fear now growing inside of him. He pushed open the doors to the back room an parked sharply. What he saw nearly made him scream.


	6. Shock

Wait a minute…. He did scream. Or did he? He didn't know. Everything seemed to melt away into oblivion. Lightning was only aware of what lay before him. Connected to a monitor, Lightning's teacher, his mentor, his crew chief, his doctor, his friend, his dad, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, lay there… dead.

"No, NO!" Lightning panicked. He rushed to him an shook him violently, rocking him back and forth yelling, "NO! DAD! WAKE UP! PLEASE!!!" He nearly broke the monitor by banging on it. That beeping sound that made known life was gone was a piercing stab into Lightning. It drove him mad. Tears poured down his hood as he yelled beside Doc. "NO! NO! NO!!!!!"

Outside, Sally was just coming out of her cone when she stopped. What was that noise? It sounded like someone desperately shouting "No". She immediately followed the sound to investigate. As she got closer, she realized it was Lightning's voice. She quickened her pace and tore into Doc's clinic. There she found Lightning beside him. She could tell in an instant that Doc was dead.

"Oh my gosh," she mumbled, then drove out as quickly as she could to get help.

Half an hour later, due to the hard task of waking them up, they found Doc alone in the room. His eyes shut and his metal stone cold. There was a peaceful expression on his face, but he wasn't breathing. Everyone closed their eyes in respect while Red flew out of the building crying.

A few minutes later, Mater asked, "Wait a minute, where's Lightnin'?"

"I thought you said he was in here with Doc," Sarge said to Sally.

"He was. Lemme find him. He can't be far," She said, leaving the room.

She looked in the next room and found him there. Lightning was huddled in a dark corner of the room, rocking back and forth on his wheels, and shaking. He was in total shock. He didn't even notice Sally until she got closer to him.

"Sally, tell me it's not true. Tell me this is a nightmare," he whispered.

"You poor thing. Honey, I wish I could."

"Sally, I trust you with all my life. Tell me the truth."

"Stickers, I'm telling you the truth now. Doc, your dad, is gone."

He was silent for a minute, then he growled, "Get out."

For a moment, Sally thought he was mad. His face twisted and a fresh flood of tears flowed out. He sat there shaking as he wept. Sally left the room and closed the doors behind her.

"Sheriff, I need you to contact the nearest city and get a team over here to do an autopsy on him fast. Flo, I need you to contact Strip and tell him to let everyone Doc knew personally know the news. Mack, get Harv on the phone and make him cancel any plans Lightning has this week. Ramone, you should start looking for a nice coffin, and Sarge, make sure the press and all the fans keep their distance for a while. They're gonna find out soon, but I don't want any unnecessary crowding, confusion, or anything like that. Thanks everyone. I'll stay with Stickers."

Everyone left to quickly do as what was needed. Sally decided that she should try to convince Lightning to go to his cone to calm down. She entered the dark room he was in and turned the light on. Lightning didn't even blink when the room turned from dark to bright.

"Stickers, ya don't have to worry about anything. We're all working quickly to get it done. I'm gonna help you though," Sally said softly, cautiously approaching him.

"I don't need help," Lightning snorted. "I'm not a baby, and it ain't like I haven't gone through this before."

"You do need help. Everyone needs help in times like these. Why don't you come out and go ge some quiet in your cone?"

"Don't need quiet. I don't need quiet, don't need help, and I certainly don't need you."

Sally's fist reaction was to take what he said personally, but she knew better. She had experience being an LA lawyer, and one thing you must learn is to not take things personally in hard times. The reason there's a need for lawyers is because people take things too personally. Plus, Lightning was going through a hard time. He was saying things he didn't mean. He just found out his dad and now he's gone.

"Stickers, you don't mean that," Sally said firmly.

"I do! Because I don't need you! I've always done fine without you haven't I?"

"Stickers, please…."

"Haven't I?" his voice was growing higher, and now she knew he was mad. "Yes, I have. I've lived twenty-one years of my life without you in it, and I've done just fine. My mom died, my grandma who was the last of my family other than dad is dead, I've lived in a foster home in which no one had time for me so I practically raised myself, I left and started racing, I pushed myself through everything and I can have anything I want. I've gone through all that without you, and I can certainly do it again."

"Stickers, I had no idea! But I'm trying to comfort you, not hurt you," she said, starting to lose her form.

"Of course you didn't know! You only care about yourself! Miss Sally Carrera!! You had a perfect life livin' in the fast lane. You've always had it good for you! You were rich, top of your job, probably had men always drooling over you. In fact, your life was so perfect, you got sick of it being so predictable and left. You left so YOU could get some friends and have it all…."

"Lightning McQueen, that is NOT how it was!!!!!" she screamed at him.

Instead of going on, he shut his mouth, but he still frowned at her.

"You're the one who has no idea about MY past!! It's been too painful for me to talk openly about it! I am ashamed of most of it! It has NOT been perfect! I've been trying to help you, and you've spat in my face! I see you want nothing of me!"

"You're right. NOTHING!!! You can drive off a cliff for all I care!!"

Sally's heart broke at those words. "Can't you see my intentions? Don't you dare think I don't miss Doc! He was like a father to me too, ya know!!"

"You don't miss him! You've seen he's dead and now you're trying to hurry up and put him in the ground so he'll be outta the way!!"

"I AM NOT!!!!!! I don't want him gone anymore than you don't!!!"

Then why not leave him in peace?!?!"

"He'll rot, Lightning, and there's nothing we can do about that. You KNOW this!!"

"Just SHUT UP!!!!! I wanna be ALONE and YOU AWAY from me NOW!!!!!!!!"

Sally could only stare into his eyes. Lightning felt a twinge of guilt and he found he couldn't look at her. She decided to leave before she lost it. She stopped before leaving the room and said, "Ya know, I have every right to say something about you now that I know would hurt you and I would regret about later on…. But I'm not. I love you too much."

With that she left, the doors swinging behind her. When she finally got outside, she broke down and cried harder than she had ever cried before.


	7. The Funeral

It was raining. Clearly showing the way everyone felt. The water poured off the roofs of the local shops and garages and onto the desert muck below. The sound of the raindrops was like a sad song. The music slow, yet full, and the "lyrics" mournful. The darks clouds swirled up ahead, threatening to compose more of this sad song. There was a slight breeze, sounding like the eerie gust of ghoulish voices in a choir, humming and awing.

They were behind the historical building in which the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet's racing trophies and racing memorabilia was on display. It seemed the perfect place to lay such a car to rest. There was a big pile of the desert's dirt ready to cover up the hole they had dug to place their friend in. Doc's coffin was of a large, trailer type, smooth material. It was Navy blue, his original color, and there were wavy stripes with little Hudson Hornet symbols on the end. It was a beautiful coffin. Filmore had the designs cut out, and Ramone painted it himself.

Lightning was parked in front. His gaze stern and fixed. The rain rolled off his old red paint job, now a dull red due to his stubborn refusal to have it repainted, and mixed in with his tears. Why had this happened? Things were going well. The best in his life. He was so happy because he found his dad. The one who left him long ago, but changed and wanted him back. Lightning never blamed or accused his dad. He knew cars change. He himself had been a participant in that area. But it just didn't seem possible he was gone.

He wasn't the only one wrapped in the silky wave of sorrow. Many cars were there: the citizens of Radiator Springs, other racers who raced with Lightning, several friends, and even Chick Hicks and his crew were there. The cars were all painted a darker color. Ramone was plain black with a soft white tint to him. Guido helped hold Luigi up as he cried on his lift, and it took everything Red had to stay and cry without fleeing to hide. Lizzy sat quiet, very unusual for the poor old car. She almost wished it had been her that left for she had seen more funerals than she had wanted to in her life. Strip and his family were there. He, his wife, and family were towards the middle looking on with tear-filled eyes. Doc was a great and old friend to the Weathers. Strip and Lynda's kids even called him Uncle. Sally sat towards the side by herself. Black ribbons were wrapped around her side view mirrors, and they floated in the breeze. She looked at the coffin and sighed. Doc had played such a big part in getting her life straightened out. He had been there when no one else was. Sure they had their differences, but they trusted each other like a father and a daughter does, and usually their pursuations lead the other to a better conclusion or happening. Like when Lightning arrived. She looked over across from the place where he was parked. When he met her gaze, he sharply turned and looked away. She sighed even more deeply this time and a different set of tears roll down her fenders. She listened as Sheriff was giving the main speech in the ceremony.

"Friends, we gather here today to remember one of the greatest cars that has ever entered into our lives. Most of us remember when Doc Hudson stumbled into this town, like most people do, out of a job and in search of a less hectic life. He sure got it here, for it was when our town was completely dead. He was chocked full of certificates and doctor's rewards, but we didn't have to know about them to see he was a good doctor who cared for his patients. Soon, we had our checkups and expired pills renewed."

There was a sound of soft laughing coming from the cars, all except from Lightning.

"He soon became the town judge, in case there were any cases needing to be solved. Bout two years ago, Miss Sally Carrera came into the town…."

Lightning rolled his eyes, still convinced that she thought everything revolved around her.

"It was Doc who found her and fixed her. That is why she is here today."

Everyone looked softly at Sally and smiled.

"Things remained the same once again. Then, about a couple months ago, I had the pleasure of chasing Lightning McQueen into town. It was soon decided that he should stay and fix the road that he had messed up. We knew Doc didn't like Lightning at first. For what reason, we may never know…."

'Because he was a spoiled brat at the time,' Sally thought coldly, then scolded herself.

"It was during Lightning's first week here that we learned more about our friend. Things he had kept from us for years, for good reason, I suppose. Doc was a great racer. One of the best if not the best, in fact. He'd been mistreated and kicked out of the thing he loved to do most, though. That's when he began to live another life. He left, got a doctor's degree, got married, and had a kid. But when life turned sour, he left, judging it the best thing to do. He never saw his wife here on earth again. But it was just before he died…"

Sheriff's voice made a choking sound as he fought back the sympathetic sobs. Lightning winced in pain.

" Just before he died he had finally found his son. After much careful thinking and figurin' out, he came to the correct conclusion that Lightning McQueen was his son. Then, the Manufacturer took him home. For those who don't know, we had an autopsy done on him, and the results were shocking. Doc had died from cancer. He obviously been battling it, and we didn't know it. This explains why he was working with his machines so much by himself. But, good ol' fashioned Doc, he didn't say anything about it. He didn't wanna burden anyone, though we all know he would never be a burden. Doc Hudson was a good car. The memories we have of him, we'll cherish forever. We now have a few assigned cars who are to give a personal speech."

Mater came up, and everyone immediately knew he wouldn't be up there for long. " Doc was de best car I have eever seen. (sniff) I'm gonna miss his grumpy sayin's he'd say to me. (sniff) and the extra cents he'd give me for a quart of oil after I had my teeth checked… (sniff) and, and, (sniff sniff) WHY'D YA LEAVE DOC?!?!?!?!" He quickly drove off into the crowd to finish crying.

Sally drove in front of everyone next. Lightning turned away from her and looked at the coffin. Sally saw him, which made her stutter nervously. "Um…. Well, I don't have much of a speech, but no words could describe how much I am thankful for Doc and the way he lived. He's the one who helped me when no one else could help me. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for him. I just wanna publicly say thanks for everything, Doc. I love you, and I can't wait to see ya again someday." Sally drove to her spot, looking to see if Lightning was watching her. As she expected, he wasn't. Oh how she needed him right now!

It was now Lightning's turn, but he found he couldn't move.

"Lightnin', it's your turn, if ya still want to," Sheriff said to him.

Lightning pushed himself to switch into gear and drive to the front. He stood there for a moment, looking at the coffin and fighting the tears. Oh how he hated crying in front of people. But he couldn't help himself right now. He turned to the crowd and studied each of them, deciding what to say. Then he saw Sally. She was looking straight at him. All of a sudden, Lightning felt a new found strength. It was small, but still, he at least felt the courage to speak. He remembered Doc's words to him at the track with Strip, just a few days before…. " I_** want you to say something like that at my funeral.**_" He wouldn't want to disappoint his dad.

"My dad, Doc Hudson and more widely known as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, was a hero. He gave his life for whoever he felt needed it, which turned out to be everyone who knew him. I went through many years without him, but I wish I hadn't. Now, I'm NOT saying it was his fault for I have never held anything against him for leaving me and mom, no matter what the media or anybody else says."

Some reporters who had snuck in frowned at him, though they knew they were guilty of doing just what he had said.

"I only wish I had more time with him. This is gonna be so hard trying to let go and get on with my life, but I know I can do it…. With the help of my friends from Radiator Springs and the Manufacturer. I loved my dad, just as all of you have loved him." He then looked up towards the heavens. "I'm sorry, Dad, if this speech wasn't enough. I tried my best and pushed through, like you kept tellin' me to. I love you, and I hope ya liked the casket we made for ya…"

The soft wave of laughter among tears rolled again through the crowd again

"Thanks for everything, Dad." He slowly drove off to his spot and sat there, thinking of all that had been said.

"Well," Sheriff said, taking the stage once again, "Thank ya'll for coming, Folks. And we'd appreciate it if you kept everyone here in your prayers. Thanks again, and have some oil and fuel up before ya'll leave."

Everyone began to go their separate ways. All of them wished everyone their best. Some stayed for a little longer, and some left more quickly. Lightning found little pleasure in addressing everyone, though. He had never felt this way about attention before. He just wished he could lock himself in a quiet room and never leave. Fake smiling was on the top of his hate list at the moment.

Finally, every fan and visitor was gone, except Strip and his family.

"Well, I guessed we got to see each other again sooner than what we thought we would," Strip joked weakly. "Well, goodbye, Lightnin'."

"Yeah, you take care. If ya ever need anything, just let us know," Lynda told him.

He just numbly nodded in response. The Weathers left in their helicopters. Mater felt so bad, he couldn't even look up at them.

The cars drove over to Doc's coffin and observed it for a moment, soaking in all the memories they had of him. Then with the help of Guido and Mack, they lowered Doc into the ground. That's when everyone really started to cry. Lizzy and Red wailed, Luigi sniffed his nose dry, Flo buried her face into Ramone's side, the twins just stared, Sally let all her tears fall without a sound, Sarge and Sheriff saluted, Filmore played a soft music that was actually civil for a change. Lightning never took his eyes off the coffin. Even when it was out of sight, he never moved or looked away. He knew he wouldn't see his dad for a long, long time. Then, they covered him up, taking care to do it as perfectly as they could.

Sally led the way back over to Flo's café after they were finished placing the tombstone. No one could really think of anything to say now. They were all drained tears and heartache.

"Anyone want a quart o' oil?" Flo asked when things got quiet.

Nobody wanted any. They just wanted to sit in the silence and try to make themselves believe in the reality. Even the twins, Mia and Tia, were still.

Lightning looked around him at his friends. He smiled weakly at their kindness to him, even when they themselves were hurting. They noticed Lightning watching them, and they smiled at him. "As usual, we're with ya on this, Lightning," Mack spoke up, everyone else nodding in agreement.

"Thanks guys," Lightning sincerely said. He backed up slowly, drove down the road, and went inside his cone.

Author's note~ A special thanks and hugs to LightningandDoc who has faithfully reviewed every chapter of my story. =D

Well, I'm sorry. I didn't enjoy writing Doc die, but because dear Paul Newman has passed on, I thought it the respectful thing to do. I hope ya'll like it. Let me know how ya'll feel about it now. Just push the review button below. PLEASE!!!!

Thanks for readin'!


	8. Life Must Go On

"Um…" Sally trailed off into the phone as she looked out the window of her office to the cone number one in the lot. "He's not available... Nope, there's no other way you can talk to him except in person, and fans sorta have limits now… No, he's disconnected and turned off all his personal phones and canceled him email and Facebook accounts…. Yes, I can tell him you send your sympathies… You're welcome… Goodbye." She sighed as she hung up the phone and stared out the window at a bouncing tumbleweed. "Life must keep tumbling on," she said to herself.

"Are you okay, Miss Sally?" Mater asked, appearing in the doorway.

"Yes, thank you Mater," she quickly said, blinking away the tears that almost fell.

"Ya don't look so okay," he noted, which Sally confessed to herself was true. "Anything I can do to help?"

"I don't think so. I don't think there's anything anyone can do, really."

Red then drove up beside Mater. Mater backed up, allowing Red to come into the office. The big, red fire truck took up most of the room, but his heart was as big as his size. He pushed from behind his wheel a pot of pretty blue and red roses. "Oh, Red!" Sally softly exclaimed. "They're lovely! Thank you. You've brightened my day."

Red blushed and smiled shyly before shuffling away. Mater grinned and asked, "Ya wanna go tractor tippin' later tonight? That always makes me feel better!"

Sally giggled. "No, but thanks. I don't think I'm country girl enough to do that yet."

"Ha! When I first took my buddy, Lightnin', he ain't had a drop o' country in 'im!"

Sally smiled a little for Mater, but inside even her hood ached from the use of HIS name. "I'm kinda busy, Mater. I'm tryin' to continue to pick up this town and het it going again."

"That's okay. But whenever ya need a good laugh, let me know."

"Thanks again, Mater."

"You go, Miss Sally!" he chuckled then drove away.

Sally went back to her work. The flowers Red gave her brightened up her desk that was full of bills and notices for the whole town. The official date for the town's redemption was the very next day, and the flow of tourists would be such a blessing financially. They needed the money to get the town out of debt, for each car owed money for keeping the town alive all those years. If they had shut the whole place down and all their shops and moved away, they wouldn't have any debt to begin with. But because of their love for it all, they stayed and paid for it with all they had. But still the government and sources for the things they sold demanded what money they didn't have. To have the town back on the map and entirely reopened would save them all, and in the nick of time. They all had just entered the debt spiral that only led downward. But they weren't in it enough to be beyond repair. However, they still needed………

"Hey," came a voice from the doorway that interrupted Sally's thoughts once again. She didn't have to look up to see who the voice belonged to. She knew. "I hope I'm not interruptin' anything."

"Not really. What do you want?" She asked timidly. He hadn't spoken to her since they fought on the day Doc died… several days ago.

""Oh, nothin' really. So… how've ya been the past few days?" Lightning asked awkwardly.

"Okay. I don't really expect things to be normal just yet." She wasn't going to forgive him yet. Not until he showed at least some signs of apology.

"Just thought I'd ask," he shrugged.

She examined him and inwardly gasped. He looked a mess! He was covered in a light layer of dust, his tires were also lightly caked with dry mud, his cheeks looked literally stained from tears, and his windshield was puffy. His eyes were still ocean blue, despite how bloodshot they were, and they pierced into her eyes, searching for answers.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked, a little taken back.

"Are you still mad at me?" his eyes asked her.

Sally stared blankly as a voice inside her hood told her to be cold. Her face grew stern.

"I'm sorry," Lightning said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I'm sure I've hurt you."

"You have," she said harshly, though she hated that she felt that anger pricking her, trying to take over. He HAD hurt her, but he was apologizing.

"You were tryin' to help me. I knew that. But, I just went crazy in my hood! Memories and feelings full of pain and grief from the past flooded back and mixed with the new anguish. I didn't know what to do or think. So…"

"You took it out on me?" she snapped. Oh, how guilty she felt for saying that!

Lightning's face fell. "Yes, I did. I said horrible things. I thought horrible things. All against you. But… you refused to do so back, even after all I did to you."

"To do so would make me as bad as you." What was she saying? Even she was surprised. The urge to give him what he deserved was overwhelming now.

He winced when she said that to him. He no longer looked at her but at the smooth floor beneath their tires. "Ya know, you're right. It would. You're too good and kind to. I really mean that. You ARE better than me, which is why I'm apologizing. I AM sorry. You tried to help, I refused it… look at me now. I'm a wreck! I ask that you would forgive me. But I completely understand if you'd want nothin' to do with me now. You look like ya don't."

Sally wondered just how unforgiving she really did look. She still fought it though.

"You're amazing, Sally. You've shown me how I really am in all ways. I'M the one who's not worth takin' up YOUR time…"

She remembered the words she wrote in that email to him.

"And I don't by any means want you to drive off a cliff. You mean more to me than anything in this world. If you died, they'd have to nail me to the floor of an insane asylum. So there it is: my apology. I'd better just shut up before I take up anymore of your time. Oh, I'm such an idiot! I keep repeatin' myself! Well… see ya. Maybe I'll go drive off a cliff."

He turned and Sally noticed by the glare of the sunlight a few tears glistening as they rolled down his cheeks, where so many had fallen. They had both gone through a lot all their lives. She thought of how she'd feel if their rolls were switched. Lightning being the "good and kind" one glaring after the "worthless" one driving away, which would be her. It scared her to think of feeling rejected once again by another, and this time it being the one she loved the most. She needed him so much, and he just saw he needed her. By this, they both needed each other now.

Sally returned to the back of her desk once again. She observed the red and blue flowers and thought of her and Lightning. She heard the roar of Lightning's engine trail off into the distance somewhere. 'Doc, what do I do now?' she thought. Then she remembered his words to her during one incident……

She was new in town and had just taken over everyone's bills and paperwork, when she messed up Luigi and Guido's. She was so upset, and she feared the wrath of the little Italians. Doc found out somehow and paid for everything, it all going back to normal again. But what he paid was a large amount, making Sally surprised that he still had that much in his private account (she didn't know all that he had done in the past yet). He told her to just look at it all as a birthday present. Later, Luigi and Guido gave her a set of new tires with a spare all for free. When she asked why, they explained how this was their way of thanking her for using her "birthday money" to fix what had happened. Sally saw Doc's little twist in the story and smiled. She asked Doc though that evening why they had all forgiven her so easily. He said,

"Always forgive. You can always tell if they're sincere or not when they mess up somthin'. Never hesitate to forgive them if they are, for it ain't every day one will ask for a second chance but at the same time knowing they don't deserve it. And in forgiving, you not only change them, but ya also change you."

Only now did she understand what he truly meant in that. She was going to lose Lightning, and it would be her fault. If she didn't forgive him, both would be affected in a bad way. She didn't want to lose him! Now, all her anger was gone, and her stubbornness was turned into a different direction.

She looked at the clock and realized Lightning had zoomed away about fifteen minutes ago. That was enough time to drive up to Wheel Well at that speed. He'd have to be there because he always went their when he was upset. Wait a minute… Wheel Well was on a cliff. Lightning's last words to her were, "Maybe I'LL go drive off a cliff."

"He wouldn't," she halfway growled under her breath. "Would he?" She did the math: Lightning was unpredictable.

She dashed out into the street in panic, everyone looking on at her with wide eyes. As she drove, she envisioned him at the edge of the cliff saying special goodbyes to everyone. He'd tell Doc how he'd see him soon, and when he got to Sally's own goodbye, he'd rev up and then drive off. At that same moment, Sally heard the echo of his distinct engine rev up, then quit suddenly. She screamed, "Stickers! Hold on!" and then drove as fast as she could. She had already entered the wooded area on Tailfin Pass where Lightning and her played and raced. The wind stung her eyes and whipped her face, but she didn't care. She only went faster. Adrenaline kicked in as she remembered how precious time was at the moment, and drove even faster! She crossed the bridge in a split second and squeezed the final turns. Finally, she slammed her breaks at the last one, skidding to a stop in front of the Wheel Well Motel.

And there was Lightning parked at the edge with his eyes closed.

"NOOOooooo…….!" Sally yelled, zipping over to him and using all she had to force Lightning away from the edge. She aggressively pushed him until he was smacked against the pumps that sat in front of the Motel. "You ain't gonna do it!"

"What?!" he asked, raising his windshield.

"Ya ain't gonna do it!" she screamed in his face, pushing him harder against the pumps. "Ya ain't gonna drive off this here cliff!!" She suddenly looked dumbstruck and whispered," I've never used so many improper words in one sentence before." Then her eyes widened and she burst out laughing.

Lightning only chuckled a little in confusion, but then just stared at her in shock. "Are you okay?" he asked. He didn't know what to think of this. Sure a lot had been going on, and they all were tired and emotional. But this….. wow.

"No I'm not okay! I'm turning into Mater!" Sally managed to get in-between her gasps for air. When she calmed down, she said, "Wow! That was random!" Then she remembered what she came up there to do. "You ARE NOT going to drive of this cliff."

He sat there for a minute, still confused, when he remembered what it was he last said to her. "You think I was serious about that?!?!?"

"Obviously," she replied, rolling her eyes. I envisioned you revving up your engine and driving off. I was already on my way when I actually did hear your engine and that scared me."

Lightning's gaping mouth slowly curled into a grin. "That was because as I sat here thinking, birds began perching on me. Then one pooped on me, so I revved up to scare them away."

It was quiet as both thought of the insanity of the whole thing.

"But… you're so unpredictable…" Sally mumbled, defending herself.

Now it was Lightning's turn to laugh. "That's one thing I like about you! You're so crazy and humorous!" He quieted down and grew serious. "But also smart and level-headed."

"Lightning, I'm so sorry!" she sighed looking down.

"I forgive you," he said strongly.

"And I forgive you," she said, looking up again.

They drove to the edge of the cliff and looked on at the sunset. Everything was perfect.

"Sally, will you marry me?"

Sally gasped. This was so unexpected! Lightning bit his lip. He didn't expect it either! It was just one of those questions that had been thought of many times in his hood and came out at the right time.

He decided to act like he had planned this, and said just what was in his heart. "I've thought this over a million times. We need each other. Actually NEED each other to go on in life. We're like to halves to a whole, and one can't go without the other. We match perfectly. I can't even imagine living the rest of my life without you beside me."

Silence. Sally continued to look out at the valley below motionless. Lightning grew a bit anxious and bashful.

"Uh, maybe I should of asked this first. Um, have you ever thought of getting married?" his fenders began itching for some reason.

This time she responded. "Yes."

"Just any someone, or someone?" Gosh, they REALLY itched!

"Someone," she drawled, batting her eyes.

He knew who that someone was. "Sally Carrera, will you marry me?"

~Author's Note~

Okay, sorry for the loooong wait. I went on vacation. * **rolls eyes** * But, anywho, I'm back! What do ya think Sally will say and why?


	9. What A Little Word Can Do

"Will you marry me?" It seems like such a simple question to some. Well, what is all involved with it? You agree, pick a date, have a wedding, and the spend the rest of your life together. Those who aren't familiar to it say that it is easy enough. But to the one who asks that so called "simple" question and to the one who is asked it, there's nothing easy or simple about it. They know that from that moment on, their loves are changed and nothing will be the same between them, for better or worse. A huge commitment is laid before them and the way they live life now is drastically changed. You must really want to know each other before agreeing to such change, because once you're in, you're in. To get out later on in the future would be looked on as a disgrace, no matter what the circumstance is.

This was running through Sally's mind when Lightning asked her this question. She had been here before… this was all in a way familiar to her… though nobody but her knew it. Nobody knew her reasons for the way she felt right now. She tried to reason with him, telling him that they weren't ready and that it was too soon. Lightning thought that the fact that they knew each other for only about three months was "so what". He backed it up by saying that was the longest time he had ever been with a lady. Sally felt a twinge of jealousy and reminded him that if they became a permanent couple, it was permanent and he wouldn't be allowed to have any interest in any other girl. This made him mad, and he accused her of calling him a playboy. Their discussion ended in a fight, which ended with Lightning purposely kicking up dust in Sally's face before zooming away.

Ramone had just finished cleaning up the leftover paint from his latest customer in his body shop, when he heard Lightning tearing through the town once again with occasional honks from the tourists. Then, Sheriff's siren was heard, and Ramone went outside to watch.

"Oh my gosh, Sheriff, this is the LAST thing I need on my plate right now!" he heard Lightning yell.

"I've warned ya countless time, and now that we got more customers, I won't tolerate it any longer," Sheriff said, pulling the angry car to the side of the road.

"Ya can't blame me for running away from the one car that has confused me the most in this town!"

"Who're ya talkin' about?"

"Sally! She drives me crazy!"

"Well, duh. Everyone knows ya got the hots for her," Sheiff said, smiling.

"Not that, ya old car, she makes me SO mad!"

His smile faded. "Boy, you'd better be careful how ya talk to an officer of the law."

"Ya know what, I couldn't care less! You and your stupid intolerance of speeders!"

"That's it. You've racked your ticket price up."

"What did I just say? I DON'T CARE!!!"

"Okay, come on. It's to the impound ya go. Mater!"

"Go ahead! Lock me up! At least I'll be outta reach from Sally!"

"I will. Mater!!!" Sheriff barked.

"Yeah, Sheriff?!" Mater said with his goofy grin, but when he saw Lightning in front of him literally smoking with rage, his face fell.

"Hook 'im up and follow me," Sheriff ordered.

"Yessir…" Mater mumbled, obeying him reluctantly.

Ramone shook his hook as he watched them take Lightning away, who was yelling and making a total fool out of himself. "That amigo is a strange one."

"I'll say," Flo agreed, driving up next to her husband. "'Wonder why he's so mad."

"I heard something about Sally driving him crazy… angry-crazy."

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen them two together since before Doc died."

"It was weird when he flew up to Wheel Well earlier and Sally soon follow after him."

"I wonder if they had a fight."

"Si. I wouldn't be surprised, Flo. He has been under a LOT of stress lately," he said, scooting closer to his wife.

A soft cry made them both turn and look to see who it came from. There Sally was, turning the corner quickly, but then slow her speed down to the limit.

"Sally!" Flo called out to her. She head and drove over to them. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Flo!" she gasped. "It was awful!"

"Did that loco maniac car hurt you?" Ramone asked in a fatherly, defensive tone.

"No! Well… not really. Sort of…. He asked me to marry him!" she broke down into sobs.

"Why is that so awful? I thought you loved him," Flo said.

"What's awful is I said no! We're-we're not ready. I-I'm not ready!" she hiccupped.

"Imma gonna go talk to this loco boy," Ramone announced, driving off towards Mater's.

"Come on, Sweety. Let's get some oil and talk."

They drove next door to the café. Flo prepared Sally her favorite special, on the house, of course. When they were settled down, Flo said, "Mia and Tia, you take care of whoever comes to order, okay? And I don't want any eavesdropping. You listen to so much as a word, you'll be outta here faster than you can repeat that word. Okay, Sally, tell me everything."

"Here it is..." she began, taking a sip. "Lightning and I got in this horrible fight right after Doc passed on, and he hasn't talked or even looked at me since 'till today. He came up to me and gave me this long, sincere, sweet apology and then drove off, feeling 'worthless'. I was mad at first, because I felt that he was just trying to get away with it. He had said some mean things to me, Flo! But… I knew he didn't really mean them. He was dealing with a lot of hard and strange emotions and didn't exactly how to deal with them right. So, I raced after him and forgave him, knowing that I too was in the wrong. Then he asked me! He asked me to marry him!!! He said, 'Sally Carerra, will you marry me?' I wanted to say yes, but… considering something I almost had to go through in the past, I said no. And it's just too soon for me! I mean, I hardly know anything of his past, and he knows nothing about mine, and… and… uh! I had to say no!"

"I understand. The same thing happened to me and Ramone."

"Really?" she asked, smiling with hope through her tears.

"Oh yes!" Flo sighed, laughing at the memories. "I knew I would marry him eventually, which is why I stayed in this town, but I wasn't ready until later on. Now, we've been married for over forty years."

"But, that's the thing! In saying no, I don't know if I'll get him back or not. I don't even think he knows the number of girls that swoon over him."

"I see your point," Flo said, biting her lip. "But look, here's where you can see if he's really the one."

"What do you mean?"

"If Lightning McQueen is gonna wait for you to be ready, he's GOTTA be the right car for you!"

"True. But… what if he doesn't?"

"Then he wasn't right for you in the first place."

Sally sipped on her oil a few times as she thought of how to respond. "So, you think I did the right thing?"

"I think ya did, Sugar. If he can pass the test, then he's your true jewel."

"Thanks, Flo," Sally said, noticing that Mia and Tia were flirting with a horrified customer. "What do I do now?"

"Just go with the flow, Hon. Go with the flow…" Flo said as she winked, then turned to go rescue her poor customer.

Sally giggled to herself at Flo's last comment. Then she busied herself sipping her drink, thinking about Flo's advice, and contemplating Lightning's behavior over the past week. She sighed, totally amazed at how different men were from women. Why did he have to act so irrational sometimes? "Well, there's at least two sides to every story, I guess," she thought aloud to herself.

"There's two sides to every story!! DON'T judge me before you know my side! Don't listen to everything Sally may tell you about me!" Lightning yelled out at Mater, who was driving sadly away after trying in vain to calm his friend down.

"Calm down, Hotrod!!!" Sheriff growled, making sure the gate was locked.

"Hoo! Hoo! Ah! Ah!" Lightning chanted like a monkey, jerking around madly.

"He's gone totally loco!" Ramone observed aloud to Sheriff.

"I don't know what happened to him. He was fine last week, then he's been in his cone for the past several days, and now he's tearing through town and giving me trouble," Sheriff noted, mostly to himself than to Ramone.

"Hey!" Ramone yelled above Lightning's wretched chants. "What's with the monkey business?"

Lightning stopped and looked at him calmly. "I'm trying to make Sheriff mad and leave me alone. I've already got enough trouble as it is, and he's gotta decide to arrest me when all this is goin' on."

"Well, shut up and get your mind straight so I can talk to you, car to car."

"HOO! HOO! AH! AH!" was the reply."

"Sheriff, amigo, would you?"

"I'll leave," Sheriff said, driving away and secretly thankful he was.

"Ha! Got rid of him!" Lightning triumphed.

Ramone rolled his eyes and asked, "What's wrong wit you, Boy?"

The crazy look Lightning had in his eyes a moment ago melted away. "I dunno," he mumbled.

"Well, you'd better know! You'll have to face the newspapers tomorrow!"

Lightning thought of how crazy he would look in the morning's paper. "Crap."

"Carp is right! Dude, you'd better pull yourself together and act like a man! To do that, we gotta get to the bottom of this. Why'd all this happen?"

Lightning thought for a minute as he searched for words. "Did Sally tell you anything?"

"She told me and Flo you asked her to marry you."

"I did. And she said no!" he exclaimed, getting worked up again. "Dang!"

"That's right, amigo. Let it out. Let it all out."

"I don't understand her! When Doc died, I though she was tryin' to hurry up and get him outta the way, so I got mad at her and blew up. Turns out, I was wrong, so I apologized. GOSH! It KILLED me to give that long apology and say all the right words! She accepted it, and then I thought the time was perfect to ask her. It kinda popped out, but I didn't regret askin' it. Then she goes on sayin' that we're not ready, and we should wait to get to know one another more, but I don't think so! To me, now's as good a time as any! So, I tried to tell her that and she goes on accusin' me of bein' a playboy!"

"Those were her words?" Ramone interrupted, knowing very well that Sally wouldn't accuse anybody using that choice of words.

"Yeah!" he affirmed quickly, but then realized. "Well, no, not exactly. She said that once we're 'together', I can't look at another girl the way I look at her now ever again."

"And… you didn't agree to that?" he asked, looking into the young car's eyes.

"Yes, I totally agree!" he answered honestly. "SALLY'S my girl, and I don't even WANT to look at another girl."

"That's good, Dude. A car should stick to only one car."

"I know. I just wish she didn't think I was capable of such… monstrosity."

"Anyone's capable of anything, Dude."

"I love Sally," he said, tears gathering in his windshield. "I love her SO much! But…" he inhaled deeply. "I just don't understand her sometimes! I mean, what is she doing? Playing hard to get? Now, I know women like to play that game, I'm not that oblivious."

Ramone chuckled. "Been there, felt that, Bro. Maybe she… nah."

"What?"

"Maybe she doesn't feel that she's good enough for you. Ya know, Sally's the type that feels even sacrificin' her all ain't enough to give to people. She's a good car."

"Which is why I love her. But the thing is, I'M the one who's not good enough."

"I understand. And… there ya go!"

"What?"

"If ya both feel ya ain't good enough for each other, then two not-good-enough's equals that you're perfect for each other."

Lightning smiled. "Then, what do I do now?"

"Wait for her Lightnin'. Ya know, Flo wasn't ready when I first asked her."

"No, I didn't know that," Lightning said, looking curious.

"Well, that story's for another time. But anyways, I waited for her. Now we've been married for over forty years."

"Gosh…" he trailed off, smiling as he thought about what could happen over the next forty years.

"So, amigo, I would listen to what Doc said before he died. Remember? He told you to…"

"Not do something stupid, which I'm very good at, and let that girl get away from me."

Ramone grinned. "Si, amigo. Si…" Then he drove away, leaving Lightning to think.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Lightning had some visitors. Guido and Luigi drove over with sour expressions. They parked in front of the gate and frowned at Lightning.

"What?" Lightning asked. They just kept staring at him. "Okay, you're creeping me out. What? AAHH!!!" he exclaimed, jumping away from the fence.

Guido had thrown himself on the gate, screaming out a million things in Italian as he banged against it with his forklift. Luigi sat motionless beside him, and Lightning stared with wide eyes and open mouth. Finally, when Guido's fit was over, he backed up and resumed his frowning position.

"What he said," Luigi spoke, gesturing to Guido. Then the two Italians turned and drove away to their shop.

"What?!" Lightning asked himself, being totally clueless to the Italian language.

"He said, 'You're a big, stinky, car that is puffed up and weird, and that you have a huge mouth, and a fat bumper'," came a familiar female voice. "And I agree."

"Sally," Lightning assured himself aloud.

She giggled as she drove up to the gate. "Who else sounds like me in this town?"

"I just wanted to be sure ya weren't Lizzy," he teased.

"Who's Lizzy? Ya lemon!" she imitated Lizzy.

Lightning chuckled. "So… ya aren't mad at me again?" I admit, I was being a bit immature."

"I think we both were."

"I'M the one who's gonna look like a maniac in the paper tomorrow."

"Okay, I agree. You were the one acting immature. I merely stated my case, gave my reasons and defenses, and bawled my eyes out."

"You didn't answer my question. Are you mad at me?"

Sally studied his eyes and surrendered. "No."

Despite how good that answer sounded, Lightning looked down sadly. "And… I take it you still don't want to marry me."

"Lightning!" she gasped. "Didn't you hear anything I told you up at Wheel Well? I only said I'm not ready! I still wanna get married… just not today."

"Well, I didn't mean today, I meant like in a few months."

"Hon, please try to understand."

"I understand. It's just… I love you so much! I want to snuggle up to you on chilly nights, and kiss your pretty face, and support and care for you!"

"And you will. Waiting might actually be better though."

"How's that?" he asked incredulously.

"First of all, we'll know each other better when the time comes. And also, time itself will tell if we're right for each other. I'd rather, if you must, you get bored with me and leave me when we're not married than later on when we are."

"Ya mean, if I ever left you for another girl?" he ased. When she nodded, he looked digusted. "Sally, I promised I would never, EVER leave you! Don't you trust me?"

"Yes, of course I do! It's just… there's this 'IF' pounding inside my head all the time."

Lightning examined her thoughtfully. "You've had a tough life too, haven't you?'

"Yeah," she replied, quickly looking away. "You have no idea."

"I would if ya told me about it," he said softly, so as not to create any more tension.

"Lightning, I… I don't now if you could handle it."

"What are you talking about? I'm Lightning McQueen: I can handle anything."

"That's what I was afraid of. Stickers, you can't even handle keepin' yourself out of trouble for one day."

"True," he sighed humorously, observing the metal fence that held him captive and separated from Sally. "And there's another thing I can't handle. And that's being away from you. This fence couldn't even keep me from you."

"Oh yeah? Then how would you get out right now?"

"By being a good girl and unlocking my cell. I've got no boot on. Sheriff never put one on."

"Probably because you were acting like an idiot. And there's no chance I'm opening that gate."

"Why're ya choosin' the dark side?" he asked in a low voice.

"You can get out yourself. You said this couldn't keep ya in, therefore you have to do it yourself."

"Okay, fine. I'll close my eyes and count to three. When I say three, I'll bust out."

"Prove it," she said in a low, flirtatious tone and turned around to flash him her tattoo.

Lightning shuddered with delight. "Alright. Here we go." He pressed his eyes tightly together. "One…" Sally lightly put her tire on the button to open the gate. "Two…" She leaned in a little more weight. "Three!" She quickly pushed it and took off. Lightning's eyes popped open and he charged out of the impound lot. He laughed as he enjoyed the victory of, what he thought was, impressing Sally through his masculine abilities by tearing through the wire fence. But because of his undivided attention to catch his woman and also because he didn't have the leisure of rearview mirrors, the thought that he had been tricked never crossed his mind.

Instead of going off to Wheel Well, Sally led him on a wild chase through the town and out to the tractor field. The tractors there gave her the chance to hide and escape Lightning, who was hot on her tail. Their engines roared, drowning out the frantic moos from the tractors, and their laughter could be heard for miles around.

"What the?" Sheriff said, driving over to the impound lot. "How can that hotrod make so much noise without movin' around all over town. He's locked up." The gate was open and the lot empty. "He was… MATER!!!"

Sally parked sharply, making Lightning slam on his brakes and bump into her slightly. They laughed together until they had to lean on one another for support.

"Oh! That was fun!" Sally exclaimed.

"Yeah, that was! Man, I'm getting' out of shape!" Lightning panted.

"Just be thankful you don't gotta race 'till next season."

"Yeah, I don't know what I'm gonna do. Dad was gonna be my permanent crew chief, but…"

Ya mean next season?"

"Yes," he replied, a sharp of grief pricking his heart.

"Hm… I don't know. You should probably discuss it with Harv or your sponsors."

"We'll figure something again… uh oh."

"What is it?" Sally asked nervously, eyeing a tractor that was approaching her.

"Hear that? It's Sheriff."

"Oh no!" she giggled.

The next thing they new, the gate to the impound lot was closing them inside their "cell". When Sheriff left, with a hint of a smile on his face I might add, they examined themselves. They were covered in dirt and smelled like tractors, and each had a boot on. They burst out laughing again until their insides hurt.

"Hole Porsche! You look pretty even when you're dirty and stinky!" Lightning roared.

"That was hardly a compliment, McQueen!" Sally heaved. "This will be one heck of a story to tell out kids. 'When and Why Momma and Daddy Got Arrested'."

Lightning just smiled. He knew that, in a way, Sally had already said "yes".


	10. A New Turn of Events

"Now on three! One… two…. Three!" and the camera flashed.

"Thanks Mr. McQueen," said the little car as he drove from Lightning's side to his mother's.

"You're welcome," Lightning replied, smiling at the cute, small face looking admiringly up at him.

"I know you've been so nice to us already by letting us get some pictures of you, but could you sign this for me too, if it's no trouble?" the mother of the little car asked.

"No trouble at all!" Lightning assured, cleverly disguising his true inner feelings. He signed the white paper the lady had, using the dust from his tires as ink.

"Wow! And ya get official Radiator Springs dirt to go with it!" her husband noted enthusiastically. "Come on, Hon'. We gotta get to the Racing Museum if we're to check out Wheel Well before dinner. Thanks Mr. McQueen!"

"You're welcome. And be sure to get somthin' at Flo's Café before ya make that hot drive to Wheel Well," Lightning called out.

As soon as they were far enough away, Lightning's smile was painted with weariness. He had been giving, for what seemed, hundreds of fans autographs all day. Not that it would normally bother him, but with Doc recently passing on and the many new changes of Radiator Springs all occurring at once, it didn't help to have fans hanging all over him. Life like this in the fast lane was normal. He would give all the autographs and pictures people wanted. But now that he had left that life, ashamed of himself for living the way he did, he expected the Radiator Springs life to be fully quiet and peaceful. Most of the time it was, but now that they had restored it (and not to menchion,the most famous racecar in the whole country lived there), it had it's ups and, well…..way ups! This day happened to be a "way up", so to spare his wheel from enduring anymore cramps from rolling on top of papers, he made his mind up.

"That is the last autograph for today," he mumbled to himself, beginning to drive off to look for something entertaining to do.

"What about me?" came a voice from behind him.

"I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to…" he almost audibly moaned while turning around to face the car, but he stopped. It was Sally.

"Then do you want mine?" she asked, smiling wryly.

"You betcha I do," he slurred, driving closer to her.

"Here," she said, giving him a smoothe kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks, Miss Carrera," he said, imitating a little kid's voice.

"You're welcome. And that's the last one for today."

"Awwww… man!" he whined, and Sally giggled.

"Excuse me, but…" a forest green Hummer asked, holding a camera.

Lightning rolled his eyes humorously. "Why not? It's not an autograph."

The Hummer gave Sally the camera, then posed with Lightning.

"Thank you!" the Hummer yelled when the camera flashed Then he zipped away.

"You're welcome!" Lightning chuckled. "Glad that one was a fast fan." He turned to Sally. "Wanna go out tonight?"

"Tonight's Kareoke night," she reminded him.

"Well, I can take you to Flo's for Karaoke night then."

"I'd love to go with ya! Are you gonna sing anything?"

"I was thinkin' about it."

"You should. You're voice is so… dreamy," she sighed.

Lightning rolled his eyes. "Pft! Whatever. You're the one with a voice like an angel."

Before Sally could respond, Mater suddenly appeared beside them and said, "Nobody's singin' tonight."

"Why not?" Sally asked.

"Now believe me, I've been accuse….. aquainted with da outside world….."

The couple looked a t each other with smile, secretly agreeing.

"So I can predict the weather 'round here real good. It's gonna pour rain tonight."

Lightning observed the sky. "But there's not a cloud in sight."

"Ya don't believe me?!?!?!?!" he asked hysterically.

"Yes, we believe you!" Sally said quickly," It's just hard TO believe when there's no evidense."

"Well, it is!" Mater confimed.

"Crap!" Lightning suddenly yelled. "I didn't practice today."

"You really need to get a system if ya wanna be in shape for Febuary. It's already January," Sally said.

"Yeah, I do. With Christmas and the New Years, I am a bit outta shape," he smiled.

"It was your first Christmas here! And New Years too!" Mater cheered.

"Yup. That means I've been here for about… 5 months?"

"Somewhere in there," Sally agreed.

"Dagum! You're getting' old! No wonder I saw them pricks on your chin!"

"You've noticed?!?!" Lightning panicked.

"Nah, jest kiddin'. You're too young to get a beard."

"Oh yeah! Yeah, I am! Sure…." Lightning studdered, trying to sound convincing.

"Oops! Gotta call from mah intercom system I had put in me few months back. Someone needs a-towin'! See ya later, Love-cars!"

"Bye!" they called out. Lightning sat thinking about how lucky he was to have such good, responsible friends, when Sally quietly asked, "You're really getting a beard?"

Lightning blushed scarlet red. "No! No, no!!! Well…. Fine. Yes. But, don't… don't tell Mater."

She giggled. "Don't worry, I woon't. It's funny ya finally decided to grow up though."

"So you've noticed my maturity, huh?" he teased. "How I don't sing 'Rubber Ducky' in the shower and taste my crayons? But really, I have changed, even I've noticed. I good change. I've learned a lot from everyone. But this beard's pushin' it, I mean, COME ON!!!"

"I think it's rather… manly," she slurred, smiling mischievously.

"Okay, that's enough. I'm gonna go talk to Harv," he grumbled, driving away from Sally, who was laughing.

"You can tell who your dad was! Doc always would say something like that when he didn't wanna respond to something!"

"Ha ha ha, very funny!" he laughed sarcastically, signaling his built-in mobel phone to speed-dial Harv, his agent. Absent mindedly waving a tire at a passerby, he said, "Hello?"

"Is this the world's fastest racing machine?"

"Is this the world's greatest agent?"

"Oh! It is, Baby! How're ya doin'? How's the girl, the town, and the rusty old bff?"

"I'm great. She's great. They're great. He's great. The town's really pickin' up the pace here!"

"Yeah I know. I get these offers from top media cars wantin' interviews from ya in your 'hometown'."

"I get 'em here too. I don't think I'm ready for an interview yet."

"Why not? You're Lighting McQueen!"

"I am, but… the sudden and huge amount of tourism is takin' its toll on me and everyone else. I wouldn't wanna make the extra order and have the town all the more busier settin' up the place just for a ten-minute interview. We're busy enough as it is, especially with the holidays."

"Wow. Lightning McQueen passing up opportunities for interviews with some big time cars! You've changed."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Listen, Harv, I need to talk to you about something."

"Shoot. I'm on my way to a conference and traffic is packed! I'll be here a while."

"Okay. It's about next season." Lightning decided to start driving to Willy's Butte while he talked.

"Yeah?"

"What's the plan? What're we gonna do for a new crew cheif? We need to think of something now to get everything settled before February."

"We should have discussed this sooner, Kid. This is cuttin' it close. I just assumed you were gonna race solo, like you did last season."

"No way! I HAVE to have a crew chief! My dad showed me that."

"Well…. (HONK!!!!) Hey! Watch it! Sorry McQueen, some freak pulled out in front of me. I guess since ya want one so bad and we're kinda short on time, why not just put Mack in there?"

"The one time he did do it was during the tie-breaker when I didn't have my head on right and was lost in daydreams. The green flag waved and I didn't see it till Chick and Strip were way ahead of me! Mack should've helped me focus and told me what was goin' on."

"Oh you're right! Want me to fire him, Dude?"

"No, you nut! He's a great truck. I'm just sayin' he's not cut out to be my crew chief."

"Well, he's the only one I can think of now. (HONK!!!!)"

"You said cars give ya offers all the time about stuff. Any offers to get this particular position?"

"Not since you fired that guy before Hudson filled in. Which is weird, 'cause you'd think cars would want the position after such a great car like Hudson was in it."

"He was only in for one race, Harv," Lightning reminded him, while seeing Willy's Butte come into view.

"So! That makes no difference! One race is all it takes to get the public excited."

"Just get the word out that I need a crew chief. Someone will do it, I'm sure."

"And if not?"

A cold, familiar feeling of being unwanted pricked his engine. "Then I'll just go on alone."

It was quiet as Lightning's comment sank in. He frowned to himself in confusion for this was the longest Harv had ever been silent over the phone. "Harv? You still there?"

"Huh? Oh yeah! I was just… looking for a spot to drive into the next lane," Harv lied.

"Oh…" Lightning had no idea that his agent had just felt concerned for him. For they both knew that if Lightning raced alone in his second season, which is usually harder than the first, he could be racing to his grave for being without a guide.

"So, I'll get right on it!" Harv piped up, recovering himself. He wasn't used to feeling sympathy for people, thanks to his occupation of being an agent. "I'll call these Lightning-thirsty reporters and give them a story."

"Sound good, Harv. Thanks. Now, I gotta go."

"A fan in need of an autograph?" Harv guessed.

"Nope. I'm alone."

"Surprisingly."

"Hey! Watch it!" Lightning snapped sarcastically. "I'm at Willy's Butte and about ready to practice."

"Have fun out there then."

"Easy for you to say. I gotta get in shape, and I can tell ya now, this is gonna hurt."

"Hey! I'm stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic! Think this is fun?"

"No. I can't sit too still for too long."

"So I've noticed."

"Didn't I tell you to watch it?" Lightning grinned.

Harv laughed. "Yeah, but you're the one that mentioned it."

"True. Well, lemme know how it goes. I'm out." With that, Lightning's world was quiet.

He closed his eyes, drinking in the cool winter breeze that blew through the dusk air. Then he opened them, surveying the track before them. Another sunset had begun, another day had drawn to a close. Why did time have to pass so quickly? It was as if one moment he was almost five years old and his mother was dying, and the next he was twenty-one years old and watching his father be buried. He wished he could actually freeze time and set things in place the way he would want them to be, but that wasn't his job. He did, however, have a way in which he could "freeze" his own time: racing. Going as fast as he could made him feel free and as if the world around him was timeless… that he was going too fast for time to catch up on him. It wasn't a literal action, but it was a literal feeling.

Just as Mater had predicted, a group of clouds, suddenly noticed, hung low in the horizon. Their dark, grey color and their monstrous size gave a threatening glare, as though they were warning those ahead of what would happen once they hovered over them. Lightning scowled at them. The rain would slow him a bit down and make his run less smoother beneathe his tires, and he was already in a physically unconditioned state. This was not a good day to practice, but that didn't damper Lightning's detemination one bit. He wanted to get his mind off things… off everything. Off his past, off his dad's passing, off the almost overwhelming stress publicity was bearing down on him, off the new search for a crew chief, off the town's unusual busyness, off Sally even. All he wanted to think about was the wind in his face and the strain of pushing himself on his axles.

As if on cue, the rain fell as soon Lightning took off crossing the old rope that marked a starting and finishing point on the dirt track.

"Of course, if HAD to rain when I NEED to practice," Lightning said out loud, mostly out of habit. "How's the first turn look, Doc?" His face suddenly went blank and his eyes constricted as he realized what he had done. Normally, he would comment and ask questions like that to Doc through their intercom system, while Doc coached him from his "viewing spot". What shocked Lightning the most though was that he had actually expected to hear Doc's reply through his radio. But instead, a clap of thunder brought him quickly back to reality.

"Stay focused!" he told himself. "This is supposed to get your mind OFF things!"

The sky grew increasingly dark, enough to where even Lightning, though stubborn as he was, began to question whether he should turn in or not. But he went on, telling himself that if it wouldn't clear up in the next ten laps, he would call it quits.

He could barely see due to the thickness of the rain, but he looked around at his surroundings nonetheless. He swerved just in time before colliding into the dirt wall that rounded, what you could call, the second turn of the dirt track. Then what he saw, nearly made him jump out of his frame.

As he swerved to avoid wrecking, he passed the edge of the dirt wall, allowing him to see the thick side of it. There he saw, what appeared to be, a ghostly figure parked there in the mist. He jerked side to side, trying to recover from the shock and regain his footing on the slick mud, which had now turned to a clay-like substance. He wasn't about to admit to himself that he was scared, he just found it odd that he kept seeing ghastly things like that in many other places recently: a strange shape by Sally's office in the early morning hours, an out-of-place shadow in the Racing Museum, familiar though distant tracks in the tractor field at night, and peculiar noises and more shadows on his way to his cone around bedtime. Again, he wasn't scared, he was more…. Cautious of his and other's well-being.

He jumped when he felt his mobile phone ring, and his yelled commanded it to turn on. "Hello?" he said in a shaky voice.

"Stickers, it's me. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sally. What's up?" he asked trying to cover the fact that he sounded scared.

"Where are you? It sounds like you're in a tunnel and there's rocks all over the road."

He cleared his throat. "I'm at the Butte practicing," he replied in a dull voice.

"Stickers! It's pouring! Why are you practicing out in this?!"

"Sally, I'm fine. It's not like it's gonna kill me."

"It could if you slip in the mud and crash. If Doc was here, he wouldn't let you be practicing under these conditions."

Lightning's jaw hardened. "I know what I'm doing, Sally," he said firmly, feeling his many authority being questioned.

"I just want you to be careful. I don't know what I'd do without you…."

But Lightning didn't hear what she said. The same ghost figure around the corner of that previous lap, flew across the track a few yards ahead of Lightning. He bit his lip to keep from screaming. "Hold on…" he managed to get out, then he took a few deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating.

Sally, who had expected to hear a loving response after her own, was tempted to grow impatient. But she didn't have the chance.

"Okay, sorry. I had to T.T.," Lightning said.

"Lightning, please come back in town. I worry for ya."

Having his first name mentioned, something only she too did when she needed his attention, and recognizing the faint whisper of worry in her voice, he thought for a moment then sighed. "Fine, I'll be there in a few."

"Good! Hey, thank you, Stickers."

"You're welcome. This rain's been pourin' on me for a while and I'm getting' tired of it anyway…. Can you have a quart of oil ready for me when I get there?"

"Of course. I'll make it myself. Decaf, right?"

"You know me so well," Lightning admired.

"You're my best friend, I should. Well, hurry back. See ya!"

"See ya… hey!"

"What?"

"I love you," he added in a soft, low voice.

"I love you too," she responded, not wanting to hang up on him.

But it was Lightning who hung up first. He slowed down to a medium pace and completed his lap to cool down. "Not only do I wanna get outta this rain, I don't wanna get killed by a ghost," he said to himself. "Though I'm not scared."

Still, the clouds continued to dump buckets of rain on top of him as he made his way back to the town. When he entered the city limits, he found al the citizens huddled beneathe the large roofs to Flo's café, and a few customers were zipping out of shops and into the direction of Wheel Well or the Interstate. A loud wave of greetings flowed out into the rain from his friends to meet Lightning. He crossed the last few yards between him and shelter quickly, and he saw that the only ones at the café were his friends, no customers or fans. He inwardly sighed with relief.

"Where've ya been, Hotrod?" Sheriff asked.

"Uh.. just out at the Butte practicing," he answered a bit half-heartedly.

"In the rain?" Luigi questioned.

"Racing clears my mind. I needed a break," he replied, hoping to drop the subject. He smiled warmly at Sally who had just put a can of hot oil in front of him.

"We understand. This town sure has its fair share of tourism!" Ramone exclaimed.

"Yeah. It's all we've dreamed of it being," Sally added. Everyone expressed their agreements.

A chilly winter breeze blew through the town, making them brace themselves for a moment from the cold. Lightning shivered.

"Oh, Honey, are you cold?" Flo asked in her usual motherly tone.

"Me? Nah, I'm fine," Lightning said. He did feel a bit feverish, though.

"No, you're not," Sally observed, driving next to him and touching him with her tire. "You're freezing, and you feel clammy."

"Get 'im inside! He needs warmin' up!" Mater directed.

"Mater's right. Ya need to get him warmed up before he gets sick," Sarge said.

"Guys! I'm fine!" Lightning panicked. "Good grief! Of course I'm gonna be a bit cold from racing out in the rain."

"Not that kind of sickly cold," Flo commented.

"You. Cone. Now." Sally ordered, pointing her tire towards his cone.

Being too tired and shocked to fight, Lightning surrendered and drove to his cone, grinning.

"Keep an eye on him, Sally," Flo said, watching Lightning closely.

"It's probably just a little cold. Don't be too worried," Filmore slurred.

"I'm sure he's just fine," Sally said, trying to assure herself more than anyone else.

"No, he's not," came a voice from the farthest and darkest side of the café.

"Who was that?" Guido asked in Italian.

"Who are you?" Sheriff bellowed, mostly because it was his duty to protect the cars, and this voice didn't sound very friendly.

"Oh, ya'll know me, just not as well as our boy, McQueen here, does."

"Show yourself, Sir," Ramone demanded.

The rain began to let up, making the car in the shadows more distinguishable. It cackled. "You cars are so naïve. Ya didn't know who McQueen was when he first crashed here, and ya don't know me. And heck, I've been around a lot longer than McQueen has."

That voice! Where had they heard it from? They racked their brains, displaing and disguarding mental images that might match with the voice. Suddenly it dawned on Sally.

"It's you," she growled.

"That would depend on who 'you' is. But, judging by the way ya said, 'you'…." The stranger drover out into the artificial lights of the café, "I'm pretty darn sure ya got the right 'you'."

It was none other than…………………….. Chick Hicks.

Everyone stood with their mouths open. Mia and Tia turned up their fenders, and went into the kitchen.

"What? Don't I get a 'Welcome to Radiator Springs' thingy?" Chick asked comically.

"That's just it. You're not welcome here," Sarge grumbled.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Chick said to Sarge.

"What're ya doing here anyway?" Sally questioned.

"Didn't you guys watch the news?" Chick asked matter-of-factly.

"We're not like-a you's rich-a peoples," Luigi said boldy.

Chick sighed out of frustration. "Okay, well, because of what I did to The King, well…. I can't race anymore. I guess you folks call that getting' fired."

Cheers went up from everyone, leaving Chick as the only one to defend himself.

"How's that exciting news?!?!" he roared.

"Because you were one dirty racer, Dude," Ramone said.

"I was, wasn't I?" Chick replied pridefully. "Anyway, I came here to see McQueen. Where can I, uh…. Locate him?"

"What do you want with him?" Sally asked.

"You, for one, Babe. But I didn't come for you imparticular. However, if ya ever wanna, as ya'll put it, 'check out the local scenery', I'll be in the nearest gas station."

Sally's mouth went ajar, then she pressed her lips together in embarrassed anger as she backed down.

"He's in cone number one… over there," Lizzy announced.

"Now, if you'll excuse me…" Chick trailed off, driving around the cars.

They all watched as Chick as she drove over to Lightning's cone and knock.

"Should I charge him?" Sheriff asked the cars.

"No. Doc wouldn't want you to," Sarge answered him.

"Plus, he'll charge you for personal harassment without reason," Sally added.

They saw Lightning open his cone, looking cheerful but tired. Then, his smile turned to a frown when he saw who was before him. Sally looked at Flo with uncertainty, who gave her an encouraging smile.

"Okay, Chick, how'd ya get here, and what'd ya want?" Lightning asked, more annoyed than angry.

"Have you heard the news? He asked instead, gruffly.

"Yeah, you've been banned from racing," he replied with satisfaction.

"The accursed race managers said what I did to Strip was 'unacceptable'."

"It was!!!"

"I was merely playing the game! I bump cars all the time!"

"You nearly killed him! Racing's a sport, not a killing contest. And if it was, I would have killed you long ago."

"Harsh words, McQueen," Chick said, wincing. "But… ditto."

It was silent as both thought of what to say next. Despite himself, Lightning couldn't help but think that Chick was a car, just like him, who had dreams…. Just like him. Wait….. What was he thinking?!?! Chick was the rotten enemy! He blew up and crashed his own dreams! It was nobody's fault but his own! "What do you want here?" he demanded suddenly, getting ahold of himself.

"Well, since I lost my entire career, I've got some time to kill. I thought I'd hang around, enjoy the view… and the ladies."

"You go anywhere near Sally, and boy, will I get you good!"

"Okay! Fine! She's yours! I'm not dumb enough to barge into another male's territory!"

"See that you don't," Lightning growled, adding to what was almost a snort.

He was about to shut this abhorrent car out of his life when Chick asked, "So, I can stay?"

Just as he curled his tongue to say 'no', he was reminded of himself. Lightning was just as bad as Chick once. And while Lightning was forced to stay in the town, and soon changed, Chick was here asking by his own will to stay. Maybe…. Chick would be changed too, if he hadn't already in some ways. How else could a car like him go to a town like Radiator Springs and ask to stay without being changed just at the least bit. Maybe…. Just maybe….. He needed to give Chick a chance.

"Yes. You can stay. I'll give ya one week, but if you do anything wrong within that time, you're gone. I'll talk to Sally, and we'll get you a room."

"Cool! Great! Well…."

"Would it kill you to say thank you?"

"Thank you," Chick said, and triumphantly pranced away, proclaiming to the whole town that he was staying.

Sally had a tough time, along with everyone else, accepting Chick into their hospitality suddenly. They would originally welcome the car, but because if the things they knew of him doing to Lightning and other cars in the past, they found it their duty to keep an ever so close watch on him. However, they got Chick a new paintjob, some tires that were better suited for the kind of ground he was on now, filled his tank with a warm dinner, and sent him off to a cone for bed. Lightning could scarce believe he let his long time rival stay in his town, but he was almost anxious to see what kind of effect it would have on him. Time as it passed on, would tell though. Time would tell…….


End file.
